Most of the games offered have significant differences with those found in other casinos. Harrah’s Cherokee has three hotel towers (Creek Tower, Soco Tower, and the Mountain Tower) with a total of 1,108 rooms, making Harrah’s Cherokee the largest hotel in North Carolina. Part of the casino’s revenue is also distributed directly to the Cherokee population. Since then, the tribe has used its casino revenues to build a new high school, a hospital, and public housing, and to upgrade public safety services on the reservation, such as police or fire. Governor Jim Hunt resisted the casino, but the state was forced to enter into an agreement with tribal authorities by the federal courts. The casino came after several years of discord between the State of North Carolina and the Eastern Cherokees.
Harrah’s Cherokee opened in November 1997 with video poker as the only gaming option. It is one of two casinos in North Carolina. It is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is a casino and hotel on the Qualla Boundary in Cherokee, North Carolina.
