Casino News from http://www.nbc17.com/
CHEROKEE, N.C. -- This town in the western North Carolina mountains is rich in history, rich in beauty -- and rich in casino cash.
Since 1997, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has partnered with Harrah's to operate a 100,000-square-foot casino on the Cherokee reservation. Last year, the casino netted the tribe $230 million, half of which went directly to the 13,000 tribal members and the rest to improve the region.
"The success we've had is well beyond our forecasts," said Chief Mitchell Hicks, a former investment banker.
But Hicks and other tribal leaders want to expand the casino and are upset that state officials haven't agreed to their plans. The introduction of the North Carolina Education Lottery in March has only exacerbated the strained relations between the two sides.
"As long as it's legal in the state, it ought to be legal here on the boundary," Hicks said.
Current regulations limit the casino to slot machines and video blackjack and poker -- no cards are allowed. Unlike casinos in other states, North Carolina also won't allow the Cherokees to operate roulette and craps tables.
Tribal leaders are planning to invest $250 million to expand the casino, but they said if they were allowed to add card games, the expansion could double in size.
"This means many, many jobs to western North Carolina," Hicks said. "Our goal is to make this a destination point in western North Carolina."
Casino money already is being invested into downtown Cherokee in the form of low-interest loans to business owners. They are required to keep their facades in a traditional-looking way to fit in with the picturesque area.
"You judge a town by a mile stretch of land, with the casino and downtown, and you're not actually looking at the people and our rich culture," said Bo Taylor, archivist at the Museum of the Cherokee. "It's the key to our survival. That's the one thing that makes us different is we have a different culture and have something that is unique."
The tribe also is using its own money to build a $100 million, state-of-the-art school that will house elementary through high school. Classes will teach traditional language to tribal children.
"It's exciting times to see how the tribe has wisely made these investments," Hicks said. "We have approximately 170 various programs. We run our own hospital facility; we have other health clinics."
The tribe does give close to $7 million in casino profits to non-tribal organizations, such as Western Carolina University and a local hospital. Hicks said they have offered to give the state some profits in exchange for more casino games.
Gov. Mike Easley is the only person who can change the compact between the state and the Cherokees. But talks broke off about a month ago.
"It's just a matter of the governor stepping up to the plate and signing the compact," Hicks said.
Easley declined requests from NBC17 for an interview.
Many casino visitors agreed that the state is holding the facility -- and the Cherokees -- back.
"I don't understand why they don't allow real cards here," one player said.
"I'd rather play with cards," another one added.
Hicks said he is losing his patience with the state, and since the Cherokees are a sovereign nation, they might just proceed without state approval.
"We feel that is an outside option for us -- to move forth -- especially since we've gone through these negotiations for so long now in good faith, and I want to highlight good faith," he said. |
|
