Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians breaks ground on new casino near Murphy


A $110 million project to build a new casino in Cherokee County is officially underway. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Harrah’s Casino was held Tuesday (yesterday) at the future site of the facility just outside of Murphy. The casino will be owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and will be managed by Caesars Entertainment Corporation; the two already work together with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee. The Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel will feature 60,000 square feet of gaming space with slots and traditional table games, a 300-room full service hotel, and a variety of dining options. The casino will create an estimated 900 jobs on-site and inject up to $39 million in wages into the surrounding area.