The Catawba Indian Nation of South Carolina is busy building a casino resort in North Carolina 35 miles west of Charlotte. After an extended court battle with another North Carolina gaming tribe, the Catawba Nation is moving full steam ahead with its plans.
Part of that plan is a smaller pre-launch casino facility that will offer casino gaming while the main resort is being built. That facility made its official debut on July 1.
The pre-launch casino venue will feature 500 slot machines from seven different gaming manufacturers. There will also be limited dining with a service bar. The mini-casino will be open 24 hours a day, every day of the week. It should supplement any online casinos, like FanDuel Casino, that decide to move into the states.
Construction on a bigger gaming facility is expected to begin at the end of this year. It should take about a year to complete. Delaware North has been hired as a project consultant to oversee everything. The land has already been cleared and the Two Kings Casino Resort will be located adjacent to the existing mini-casino.
When complete, the larger casino floor will offer as many as 1300 slot machines along with table games. There will be a full-service restaurant and bar. This next phase is also considered to be temporary as part of the grand plan for Two Kings Casino Resort.
The entire project has a total price tag of $273 million according to Chuck Kilroy who is part of the Delaware North consulting team.
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Kilroy mentioned that no timetable has been set for the other construction projects outside the larger casino that is expected to open near the end of 2022.
As far as the pre-launch casino facility, the two highlighted slots are the Buffalo and Wheel of Fortune progressive jackpot machines. This gaming venue will be open to patrons 21 and older. This will be a non-smoking facility with outdoor smoking permitted in designated areas.
The mini casino has ample parking with more than 600 spaces. There is also an outdoor area that can accommodate food trucks to expand the current dining options. Catawba Nation officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion with the doors opening to the public at 12 p.m. (ET) to kick off the 4th of July holiday weekend.
Kilroy was quoted as saying, “This is the beginning, just the beginning.”
Two Kings Casino Resort will be located in Kings Mountain, NC. The property will look to celebrate the Catawba Nation’s history along with its bright future on the tribe’s ancestral land in North Carolina.
The Two Kings name was chosen to pay tribute to Catawba Chief King Hagler who led the tribe in the 18th century. The tribe also has strong ties to Kings Mountain.
When fully complete, the resort is expected to create as many as 2,600 full-time jobs. It will also boost the local economy as a major construction project.
The Catawba Nation is the only federally recognized tribe in South Carolina. Since that state does not have legal casino gambling, the tribe sought federally recognized land across the border in North Carolina for this casino project.
