Catawba Casino Complex

[15895]

I wonder if it's just our part of the state that gets dealt these blows or if everywhere in NC has to deal with this crap weekly (streetcar threatened, light rail threatened, panthers stadium, airport authority, casinos a no go, etc etc)

[Third Strike]

According to the Observer, McCrory also opposes the casino now, even though a couple of weeks ago.  While he never publicly supported the casino before, I was hopeful that he would, considering he had been quiet on the issue even though the casino drew the ire of the semi-righteous and arbitrarily moral members of the General Assembly upon it's mere mention.  When asked about the casino, he said that he has heard absolutely no argument in favor of the casino.  I guess he has not heard that the investment would be massive. I imaginge thousands of jobs in an area with stubbornly high unemployment does not resonate with the governor either.  It looks like yet another issue in which, the governor could have shown some leadership and broke away from the uber-con Legislature.  Instead, it looks like, yet again, the Legislature is playing the role of Dominatrix, and McCrory is happy to be the submissive.  This type of cowardice from a governor who is supposed to be the face of leadership in our state is infuriating.

 

It's not even McCrory being submissive, but the fact that he and many others in the Legislature, have been bought off by the Cherokee. But honestly, it's almost like he's trying his hardest to become a one-term governor. Ironic if so, considering he had the longest tenure of being a Charlotte mayor.

[vassago]

Again the implication seems to be that the tribe can go ahead with the casino once it has the land despite what our supreme leaders opinions might be.  Does anyone know if NC can actually do anything more than be a pain in the tribes butt?

 

The Catawbas have asked the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for permission to buy the N.C. land and consider it part of its reservation, which now consists of 1,006 acres east of Rock Hill.

 

“Once the land is in trust, the scope of the tribe’s gaming rights will flow from its sovereign authority,” says Gregory Smith, the tribe’s attorney, who’s with the law firm Hobbs Strauss Dean & Walker in Washington, D.C.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/outside_the_loop/2013/09/nc-gov-mccrory-wont-support.html

[ssh214]

Every state needs to have a compact with each each tribe in order to run certain types of games. The tribe can build the casino but they can only run certain types of games that won't be very popular and would ultimately cause them to lose money. So the state can do a lot to block them from building the casino by way of not allowing them to have attractive Las Vegas style games on their floor. 

[vassago]

How would the state justify granting Vegas style gaming to the Cherokees and not the Catawba Indian Nation?

[DMann]

How would the state justify granting Vegas style gaming to the Cherokees and not the Catawba Indian Nation?

Political cash donations

[vassago]

I more meant to the public/ the Catawba Nation?  Tribe A get this because ... but Tribe B cannot have the same because ...  I understand that the politicians have already been bought by the Cherokees.

 

“I’ve seen no argument to justify it whatsoever,” McCrory said.

 

What's the argument against?  I've read about the letter that some of our House leaders have signed but what was the argument in the letter?

[ssh214]

I more meant to the public/ the Catawba Nation?  Tribe A get this because ... but Tribe B cannot have the same because ...  I understand that the politicians have already been bought by the Cherokees.

 

“I’ve seen no argument to justify it whatsoever,” McCrory said.

 

What's the argument against?  I've read about the letter that some of our House leaders have signed but what was the argument in the letter?

 

The real reason behind this all politics aside is that the state government could want to limit the amount of Class III (Las Vegas style games which basically are machines that play against the house as opposed to Class II Bingo which are a game where people play against/with each other) for whatever the reason that may be (i.e. moral issues, etc...) But normally in states like California there are compacts that the tribes negotiate with the state to allow a certain number of Class III games which are considered more lucrative and profitable to Casino operators because Class II gaming is mostly based off of Bingo and takes more time for a player to wager his next bet. However, new laws are being put into place by the National Indian Gaming Association that will basically make the Class II games almost identical to Class III games because the ruling is saying that the machine serves as an aide to the player for doing such actions such as daubing and claiming so really Catawba could just go ahead and say they will operate as a Class II only facility and not only will they not have to give more taxes to NC but they can have as many machines as they want (at least this would be the case if they were to stay in South Carolina but I'm not sure how their desire to operate in NC is going to effect this).

 

Sorry for the huge lecture; this is my job and I get excited haha

[cltbwimob]

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/local/nc-gop-picks-harrah-s-for-convention-fights-plans-for-similar-county-resort-1.212501?page=3

 

According to one of the legislators quoted in this story, the GA has absolutely no authority to stop this whatsoever, its strictly in the purview of the federal government.

 

I am glad that the arbitrarily and selectively moral GA has no power to stop this.

[tozmervo]

Now the state GOP is having their annual convention at the Cherokee casino. Yeah, they say that was decided well ahead of this issue. Yeah, it's still a dumbass move. 

[DMann]

Now the state GOP is having their annual convention at the Cherokee casino. Yeah, they say that was decided well ahead of this issue. Yeah, it's still a dumbass move. 

Rules don't apply to them!

[cltbwimob]

Rules don't apply to them!

Nor does common sense

[rancenc]

Does anyone have any insight in terms of where this proposal stands? Apparently it is suppose to be reviewed and approved/denied by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as it relates to the Catawba's being able to

build a casino complex outside of their core reservation.

[cltbwimob]

Surprised no one mentioned this already.  The Catawba are in negotiations with Hard Rock for the branding of their proposed casino and hotel in Kings Mountain.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/outside_the_loop/2015/07/hard-rock-casino-may-be-coming-to-charlotte-region.html

[Third Strike]

So this still has a chance of happening?

I was looking at the list of casinos located in the southeast, and it seems like a casino that is located along I-85 would be a huge attraction for not just Kings Mountain/Gastonia, but possibly for the Charlotte metro. I can see tons of travelers from Atlanta to Richmond, making their way to the Catawba casino. They could also spend a weekend here, and spend money in not only the casino, but in other areas around the metro. Maybe this is why the Cherokee are trying their hardest to prevent this complex from happening.

[ssh214]

So Harrah's Cherokee is the only casino in the immediate area... Harrah's is building a second property in Murphy, North Carolina that will be open in early September. Currently the state of North Carolina will not allow for any new gaming establishments primarily because of the support that Cherokee gives. However, Catawba does not need state approval to build the casino. They can operate as a Class II property which basically means the slot machines will bingo based (really technical to explain but the games now as Class II are virtually identical to the ones you would see in Vegas) and they will be able to have a poker room, but they will not be allowed to have table games like black jack which is a problem. I actually do business with both Cherokee and Seminoles down in Florida, I should be going there within the next month for a meeting I'll try to find some information while I'm down there...

[rancenc]

As anyone heard or have insight in terms of where this proposal stands?  I assume it is still working it's way through the federal Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs.  Haven't heard from this site or any of the local media!

[saam14]

30 minutes ago, rancenc said:

As anyone heard or have insight in terms of where this proposal stands?  I assume it is still working it's way through the federal Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs.  Haven't heard from this site or any of the local media!

This is not happening anytime soon as far as my contacts are concerned. There was talk about Catawba partnering with the Seminole of Florida to build a hard rock brand hotel but there hasn't been any recent chatter. Cherokee is/will fight this from happening with everything they got. I have an anual meeting at Cherokee on Friday, may find out more then...

[rancenc]

Most recent update on this project, which is still apparently in bureaucratic limbo!

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20170902/feds-still-holding-cards-in-casino-decision

[Windsurfer]

One of the first places I take my West Coast visitors to hike around here is Crowders Mountain.  Looking out over what are the last few patches of tree canopy around here is just fantastic.  To this project I give my normal 'ugh'.  I know I'm a salmon swimming up river on this board, but my gosh,  our trees and few remaining undeveloped parcels around here are GEMS to folks coming from other parts of the world.   Most places in the world are dry and desert-like, and having somewhat of a canopy remaing is a huge attraction to many.

[deleted]

17 minutes ago, Windsurfer said:

One of the first places I take my West Coast visitors to hike around here is Crowders Mountain.  Looking out over what are the last few patches of tree canopy around here is just fantastic.  To this project I give my normal 'ugh'.  I know I'm a salmon swimming up river on this board, but my gosh,  our trees and few remaining undeveloped parcels around here are GEMS to folks coming from other parts of the world.   Most places in the world are dry and desert-like, and having somewhat of a canopy remaing is a huge attraction to many.

With you 100%.  Plus, I hate casinos (please don't @ me people, I just think they are miserable places that aren't adding anything to society)...

[ssh214]

So this topic is the only thing that I consider myself privy to insider knowledge and information and can actually contribute to, and I can tell you guys that you don't need to worry about this... This project is not happening any time soon...

[ssh214]

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/140049/kings-mountain-catawba-indian-nation-casino/

latest from this project... haven’t heard anything from my contacts about this project lately

[KJHburg]

this case will likely head to the Supreme Court   SC based Catawba Indians wanting a casino in Kings Mountain NC and the Cherokees primarily of NC do not like it. 

https://www.shelbystar.com/news/20190315/us-senate-bill-pushes-for-kings-mountain-casino?utm_source=Business+North+Carolina+Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=d3a4401933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_1_2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7ae5defd0d-d3a4401933-122553233#new_tab

[rancenc]

11 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

this case will likely head to the Supreme Court   SC based Catawba Indians wanting a casino in Kings Mountain NC and the Cherokees primarily of NC do not like it. 

https://www.shelbystar.com/news/20190315/us-senate-bill-pushes-for-kings-mountain-casino?utm_source=Business+North+Carolina+Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=d3a4401933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_1_2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7ae5defd0d-d3a4401933-122553233#new_tab

Thanks for the update....I am actually glad to see some positive movement on this project!