The Catawba Indian Nation marked a major milestone with the opening of their $1 billion casino project. Community members proudly gathered at King’s Mountain to celebrate the achievement. Once there, Chief Brian Harris announced that plans to open a second casino were also underway. The project represented years of persistence that finally paid off. After all the planning and legal challenges, the project is expected to breathe new life into the community. The added job creation and other opportunities are also welcome amid tough economic times.
The casino sector has changed rapidly in the last two decades. As online casinos become more popular throughout the country, options like casinos with $10 minimum deposit requirements have begun heavily competing with traditional brick-and-mortar venues. The convenience these platforms bring represent a huge turning point for the local tribes. In doing so, they have become a major disruptor to the industry. Low stakes platforms offer players the chance to play with minimal investment but still provide all the same games as regular casinos. However, gaming libraries tend to be much larger at digital casinos. These add to their appeal while the digital nature of such platforms provide lower barriers for gaming enthusiasts to enjoy them.
There are plenty of modern games too. Live dealer games and other popular offerings like crash games have begun lowering foot traffic in casinos across the world. However, the Catawba tribe’s latest project hopes to showcase that conventional casino models are far from obsolete. The permanent Two Kings Casino Resort covers more than two million square feet. Its first phase is expected to open in 2026 and adds to the mega projects already planned in the state. The hope is that the project will draw in higher tourism rates. The new casino holds fast to a resort experience replete with restaurants and a host of other entertainment options that can’t be replicated online.
The tribe has not disclosed the planned second site’s location. However, the announcement of the second project provides a glimpse into the faith shown by the tribe. Casinos have become synonymous with tribal identity throughout the country. The Catawba’s leadership locally has emphasized that profits will go toward education, healthcare, and infrastructure for tribal members. The profits generated from tribal casinos have become a major driver of preserving cultural heritage for many tribes. In an area largely dependent on the manufacturing industry, projects like these offer a huge boost.
As times changed, across the nation, many tribes are seeing their long-standing gaming compacts being challenged. Major casino developers all want a piece of the pie. There’s also immense pressure on many tribes to go digital and tear up the conventional casino models. Meanwhile, many industry leaders feel that rights to digital casinos should be open to all.
Despite all this, construction continues to move forward with hundreds of workers on site. As the steel frame now stands complete, crews will shift focus to interior work. This will pave the way for the next stage of development. For the Catawba Nation, the project is also a symbolic one. It represents the culmination of years of effort to bring the project to life. For many, it also heralds a new chapter in merging tribal identity with much-needed economic growth.
