The gaming floor at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort offers over 3,000 slots including titles such as Buffalo, Monopoly, Crystal, 88 Fortunes and Wheel of Fortune.
A relatively recent addition to the casino, the pit now contains over 160 table games, with live dealers trained in blackjack, roulette, craps and others.
The World Series of Poker Room has 32 tables and offers three card poker, high card flush, as well as Texas Hold’em and Omaha. The room is also, as the name suggests, part of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event circuit with several games also held in the events center.
The casino also hosts a Caesars Sportsbook, offering professional and college football, MLB baseball, professional and college basketball, boxing, hockey, golf and other sports. The main lobby features a 90 ft game and plentiful seating. There are also three private rooms, named Fan Caves, that offer 85” HDTV plus two 43” 4K TVs and convenient access to betting stations.
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort was first opened on November 13, 1997, after a compact was forged between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the State of North Carolina. The property would be owned by the EBCI, while operated by the more experienced Harrah’s Entertainment.
The first renovation was completed in 2002 and added 22,000 sq ft of casino space and 31,000 sq ft of convention space. In addition, a hotel was constructed that offered 252 rooms and suites to guests.
A second hotel tower was added in 2005, with 15 -stories hosting 320 additional rooms.
Live tables were added on August 15, 2012, after the state agreed to amend the initial agreement with the EBCI. The first live hand dealt was blackjack during a special opening event and around 500 new jobs were created through this.
The third renovation was completed in 2013 with the total cost totaling $630m. This project saw the addition of a third tower, consisting of 21-stories, 532 rooms and five suites as well as a 3000-seat events center. The gaming space was doubled to 150,000 sq ft and a full-service space was opened. Several restaurants and shops were also added.
Following its reopening, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort unveiled its fourth and most recent renovation in 2021. This $250m project added a fourth tower, including 19-stories, 725 rooms and seven suites. Another convention center with a ballroom was added, as well as a new terrace pool and fitness center. Most notably though, this renovation saw the introduction of the 34-table World Series of Poker Room and a new sports betting area, the Book.
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes. The tribe is based in the Qualla Boundary, located in western North Carolina.
The casino has funded many major projects for the EBCI, including a new school, a hospital, public housing, and upgrades to public safety services such as police, fire, and EMS. On September 28, 2015, the EBCI opened a second casino, Harrah's Cherokee Valley River in Murphy, North Carolina.
Carolina Panthers: Announced on October 25, 2019, the multi-year partnership would name Harrah's Cherokee as an Official Sponsor of the Carolina Panthers. The casino would provide prizes for the Panthers Pick’em game, while also receiving naming rights to facilities used by the Panthers.
Throughout several renovations, Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort now has four hotel towers offering over 1,800 rooms and suites for customers. The hotel also offers accessible hotel rooms, pet-friendly rooms and two exclusive pools.
There are several restaurants and places to eat at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, but one of the most notable is the Gordon Ramsey Food Market. This venue offers eight cuisine concepts and one full-service restaurant that uses ingredients from Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Spicewalla, Joyce Farms and others.
The Event Center is a 3,000-seat venue that hosts music acts, live performances and stand-up comedy. This venue also caters for the WSOP Main Event Tour.
The Sequoyah National Golf Club spans across 6,600 yards and features a practice area, clubhouse, restaurant, golf shop and group bookings.
The Mandara Spa at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort offers body treatments, massages, and salon services, as well as a sauna and indoor relaxation area.
There are three pools at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort and one poolside bar. Guests are welcome to use the 12 outside cabanas, with the larger ones catering for up to six people at a time. There’s also a heated indoor pool that is family-friendly.
The UltraStar Multi-tainment Center offers a few different areas for customers. The bowling alley has 24 ten-pin lanes, with an additional eight VIP lanes. The ESports Zone has a collection of different consoles and can be booked for tournaments and private sessions. Finally, the Strikes Arcade has a range of classic and modern arcade games.
