Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee expects to offer live games like blackjack, roulette and poker starting July 4 after state lawmakers approved legislation legalizing Las Vegas-style games on tribal lands. Gov. Bev Perdue signed the bill minutes after the Senate gave it final approval last week, touting gaming as a financial boon for economically depressed areas in western North Carolina.
The legislation enables a new 30-year gaming compact between the state and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians that permits live dealers and two new casinos on tribal lands, adding hundreds of millions in revenues. In exchange, the state will receive a small percentage of the revenue from the new games, estimated at $2 million to $3 million a year. The initial money is directed toward education but it is not guaranteed in future years. The compact must receive one final review from the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, a process that could take as long as 45 days.
Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, says the July goal is ambitious but he expects the federal government to quickly sign off on the deal. “The old saying is if you don’t make it July 4th weekend in Cherokee, then you could be hurting in the winter,” Hicks said after Gov. Perdue signed the measure. “It’s our biggest weekend of the year.”