Kings Mountain Catawba Casino
- The Catawba Indian Nation statement said that the tribe plans to “begin working closely with Gov. Cooper’s office so that the state of North Carolina can also benefit from the project in Kings Mountain.” The proposed casino project, which was first discussed during tribal meetings in 2013, now is expected to include a $600 million 220,000.
- The Catawba Nation held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 22, 2020, to mark the start of construction on its new $273 million casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
Leaders break ground on new casino in Kings Mountain (WBTV July 22, 2020)
CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Wednesday was a day long in the making for the Catawba Nation tribe of South Carolina as leaders broke ground on land in Kings Mountain to build a new casino resort. Local leaders, attorneys and Catawba Nation Chief William Harris all say the casino is happening - and it’s happening fast.
State Sen. Jim Davis and Rep. Joe Sam Queen: Why the Kings Mountain casino is a bad deal for WNC and North Carolina (The Asheville Citizen-Times August 8, 2020) • Withdrawal of Solicitor's Opinion M-37029. 'The Meaning of 'Under Federal Jurisdiction' for Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act'• Determining Eligibility for Land-into-Trust in Section 19 of the Indian Reorganization Act
• Procedure for Determining Eligibility for Land-Into-Trust under the First Definition of 'lndian' in Section l9 of the Indian Reorganization Act
• Determining Eligibility for Land-Into-Trust under the First Definition of 'lndian' in Section 19 of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 [PDF 14.6MB]
United South and Eastern Tribes: Tribal sovereignty should not be held hostage by Washington politics (March 13, 2020
Trump administration changes course with withdrawal of pro-tribal homelands policy (March 10, 2020)
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe wins major victory in homelands litigation (March 6, 2020)
'Do your job': Tribes slam Trump administration on sovereignty and homelands (February 12, 2020)
Bill Graham: Catawba Nation deserves 'fair shake' under federal law (August 29, 2019)
'Meanspirited': Eastern Cherokee chief responds to attack on his people (June 20, 2019)
Republican U.S. Senator blasts Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for 'bullying' (June 19, 2019) 
Catawba Nation continues to see opposition to casino on homelands (May 21, 2019)
Catawba Nation asks Congress to fulfill promise in land claim settlement (May 3, 2019)Catawba Nation homelands bill slated for first hearing on Capitol Hill (April 22, 2019)
Catawba Nation faces more opposition to homelands bill thanks to Eastern Cherokees (April 3, 2019)
Catawba Nation predicts 'huge' economic impact with casino on homelands (March 20, 2019)
'Sad': Catawba Nation fires back after Eastern Cherokees slam homelands bill (March 18, 2019)
Catawba Casino South Carolina
Catawba Nation remains in limbo years after submitting casino application (September 7, 2017)National Indian Gaming Association honors the late Catawba Nation Chief Gilbert Blue (June 15, 2016)
Catawba Nation still waiting for action on casino in North Carolina (January 27, 2016)
BIA said to be planning hearing on Catawba Nation casino bid (11/11)
Opinion: Catawba Nation casino won't benefit local community (08/12)
Editorial: Catawba Nation casino represents jobs and revenues (08/04)
Catawba Nation still waiting for answer on casino land-into-trust (7/31)
Catawba Nation in talks to bring Hard Rock into gaming plans (7/27)
Business owners support Catawba Nation off-reservation casino (02/25)
Federal review of Catawba Nation off-reservation drags along (02/09) Pastors continue to rally opposition to Catawba Nation casino (02/05)
Catawba Nation waits for BIA decision on off-reservation casino (01/28)
Catawba Nation casino opponents meet with BIA officials in DC (12/17)
RALEIGH — On March 12, the Catawba Indian Nation held a press conference to present renderings and construction plans for a new destination casino on a site in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
According to a press release, the U.S. Department of the Interior has taken the land in question into trust and, as a result, the Catawba Indian Nation can now move forward with the proposed project.
“The Nation is very thankful for the Department’s decision to take this land into trust, enabling us to achieve the promise of self-determination though economic development,” said Chief Harris in a statement.
“The Department has a very rigorous process for reviewing proposed trust land acquisitions. We are very thankful for the hard work of the Department’s solicitors and staff on our application, who carefully reviewed our history, including our historic land settlement, ensuring that it is consistent with the Supreme Court’s Carcieri decision,” Harris said.
The proposed destination casino and resort is projected to bring as many as 5,000 construction jobs and 4,000 permanent jobs to the King’s Mountain area. Supporters of the casino estimate it will bring $350 million in potential revenue to the town, which is located just 35 miles west of Charlotte.
The Catawba Indian Nation statement said that the tribe plans to “begin working closely with Gov. Cooper’s office so that the state of North Carolina can also benefit from the project in Kings Mountain.”
The proposed casino project, which was first discussed during tribal meetings in 2013, now is expected to include a $600 million 220,000-square-foot casino complex with an estimated 1,796 electronic gaming devices and 54 table games. There is a plan for a 1,500-room hotel, as well as restaurants, shopping and a full-sized concert and event venue.
The Catawba Indians are located in South Carolina, but claim tribal lands that extend north into the area of the casino project near King’s Mountain. The project has been met with strong opposition from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians located in North Carolina, which operate casinos further to the west of King’s Mountain.
The Catawba River is named after the tribe and originates in Western North Carolina. The word “catawba” means “the people of the river” in their Siouan language. The tribe’s name is also referenced in Catawba County, a foothills county whose county seat is Hickory. Catawba College, now located in Salisbury, was founded in Newton, a town in Catawba County.
The federal government terminated recognition of the tribe in 1959. In 1973, the Catawba Indian Nation reorganized and began the process of reestablishing federal recognition. In 1993, the federal government recognized the Catawba nation and paid, along with the state of South Carolina, a $50 million settlement for land claims.
The Eastern Band is promising to sue the U.S. government for “its illegal and corrupt decision” to allow Catawba casino to go forward.
Catawba Casino In Kings Mountain
In a press release, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians claim that the government is ignoring federal laws that prohibit the “Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina” from tribal government gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
“The federal government has no right or authority to create a new reservation for the Catawba Nation across state lines, into Cherokee historical territory, just to build a casino,” Chief Richard Sneed said in a statement.
The statement also says that the Bureau of Indian Affairs also has yet to consult with the Cherokee on protection measures and that a possibility exists of archaeological artifacts and resources being discovered during construction on the proposed casino site.
“This decision creates a dangerous precedent for all federally recognized tribes that empowers corrupt developers and their lobbyists to use politicians to determine what laws and precedents are followed and which ones are ignored. This decision cannot and will not stand,” said Sneed.
The Cherokees operate two casinos west of King’s Mountain: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which is 130 miles away; and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel, around 190 miles away. The Catawba casino would be located just 35 miles from Charlotte.
The casino project also drew harsh criticism in early 2019 from North Carolina state lawmakers after North Carolina’s two U.S. senators, Republicans Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, signed on as primary sponsors of a bill introduced by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
U.S. Senate Bill 790, which has had no activity since being introduced in March of 2019, would have authorized the U.S. Department of the Interior to allow the South Carolina Catawba Nation to obtain around 16 acres near Kings Mountain in North Carolina for its proposed casino complex. With the Department of the Interior now taking the land into trust, the bill has been rendered unnecessary.
Thirty-eight N.C. state lawmakers signed a letter opposing the casino project bill. The letter dated May 16, was sent to the chairman and vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and called Senate Bill 790 an “unprecedented overreach.”
The letter to the committee also said if the project was allowed to go forward it would “encroach upon Cherokee aboriginal territory defined in the Cherokee Treaty 1777 map.” The letter also said it would “deal an economic blow to a region of the state that depends on this industry and the thousands of jobs it provides annually.”
At the time, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) said “This bill that was introduced by a South Carolina senator to allow property in North Carolina to be given to a South Carolina tribe is something that I would hope our representatives would fight.”
Is Kings Mountain Catawba Casino Open
House Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican from Kings Mountain, took no position on the bill last year, despite it being proposed for his town.