Growth at Harrah's Cherokee Casino

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 13:20

Oasis of jobs: Cherokee casino emerges as a lifeline in sour economy

Help wanted signs aren’t too common these days. But there’s an anomaly here in the far end of the state, where Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort is in the throes of a $633 million expansion, one that will bring 800…

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 13:16

Rank-and-file casino workers told to turn on the charm

In a basement classroom at Harrah’s casino, a fresh group of new hires stretched out before Al Lossiah, the latest in an endless stream of weekly newbies. They were here to learn the art of moneymaking, with Lossiah as their…

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:32

A masterful game of musical chairs

When all is said and expanded at Harrah’s, there will be 2,000 seats at the various restaurants scattered across the property. That’s enough for every employee at Harrah’s to sit down for a meal together, albeit at different restaurants. It…

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:32

Dishwasher extraordinaire

Jeremiah Chatham is the kind of person who looks far too gregarious to be wearing a suit. He has an open face, an easy laugh and is prone to a quizzical, smiling expression that’s at once friendly and disarming. …

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:31

Finding a custom fit, 2,000 times over

Deep in the labyrinthine basement at Harrah’s, in an ordinary hallway sits an extraordinary room. There’s a service counter and a door, and it seems, at first blush, like a standard work-and-storage room — a few shelves, some sewing machines…

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:30

Gardener sees casino as a canvas

Twelve thousand. That’s how many annuals Zeke Cooper and his crew have installed in the last month in and around the hotel and casino, adding summery punches of color to the landscape and bringing some organic life to the gleaming…

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:29

Luring gamers to play longer, play harder

Go to Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino on any given day, and there’s a good chance you’ll encounter a promotion of some kind. You could win a cruise. Or a car. Or $10,000. Or just more chances to play the…

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 13:12

High stakes casino expansion tests the theory: If we build it, will they come?

When a new federal law in the 1990s opened the door for Indian tribes to build casinos, it set the stage for economically-depressed reservations to become masters of their own destiny, to create wealth where none existed before and improve…

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 13:07

Extortion or fair share? State wants cut of casino revenue in exchange for live dealers

To hear many Cherokee leaders on the eve of last week’s tribal elections, the tribe is incredibly close to striking an agreement with Gov. Beverly Perdue that would allow live dealers at the casino, perhaps within weeks. Two letters from…

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 13:05

No limits

A chandelier over a high-limit gaming table at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino costs $150,000, more than the median selling price of homes in Western North Carolina last year. Like all the luxury touches found in the casino, it was custom designed.…

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 12:57

Hello Bellagio, meet Cherokee

The Mirage has a volcano. There’s the Fountains of Bellagio, and the pyramid-shaped Luxor. Cherokee will have the Rotunda, the crown jewel of the $633 million expansion to be unveiled next year and serve as the new casino entrance. “With…

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 12:54

Men at work: Behind the veil of Harrah’s $633 million expansion

As Harrah’s Cherokee Casino closes on the final year of a massive $633 million expansion, the hum of construction that’s been a backdrop to life in Cherokee will give way to a luxury resort positioning the Eastern Band of Cherokee…