It’s a typical Western North Carolina dilemma. You have a great job in Asheville, but live in Waynesville for the small-town life. Or you’re a Western Carolina University professor living in Asheville. Or maybe you reside in the far reaches of Macon County and commute daily to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

A 30-, 40- or 50-mile commute is the norm for many WNC residents. But that could have dramatic effects on major employers in the region.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel relies on 1,900 employees who drive from all over WNC to staff its operations. When it completes its major expansion in 2012, it will need another 1,000 workers.

Because the casino needs so many employees but there isn’t housing nearby to accommodate nearly that number, the company is dependent on staff who commute long distances.

“It’s not like a downtown kind of business — people aren’t going to walk a block to get here,” says Charles Pringle, spokesperson for the casino.

According to Pringle, 36 percent of casino employees commute from Swain County; an equal number do so from Jackson. The remaining 28 percent come from other counties. Plenty trek from Robbinsville, a 50-minute commute; as well as Murphy and Asheville, which are both over an hour away. That’s roughly 100 miles round trip every day.

And though the two closest places — Jackson and Swain counties — may seem more feasible, they’re also expansive. Pringle himself resides in the eastern part of Jackson County and travels “a solid 30 minutes” to get to work. He readily sympathizes with employees’ plight.

“I know what it means to my budget and how that has changed my lifestyle,” Pringle said.

The senior management of Harrah’s realized a few months ago that employees were struggling with gas costs, Pringle said. The casino put a project person in place to survey employees on commuting patterns and what they’d like to see in terms of transportation options. It has since established a fuel assistance program that pays employees about 75 cents per gallon based on which zip code they’re traveling from.

At WCU, officials worry that the long drives may deter students and potential employees.

“There’s a potential people might not be applying for jobs at WCU because of the cost of it being 25, 30 miles away,” said Lauren Bishop, the university’s energy manager.

More than a few professors teach courses both in Cullowhee and in Asheville, which are more than 50 miles apart.

The same concern applies to students, who may either live elsewhere for job opportunities while working through school, have difficulty finding housing in the area, or simply be non-traditional students where the a spouse may have a good job in Asheville while the other attends school.

“We may be their top choice school, but they decide to stay close to home because of gas prices,” said Bishop.