Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino, near Murphy and first opened in November 1997, will later this year see its largest expansion since its opening.
Designed by the Smallwood architecture firm, this new expansion to the famous casino will add a hotel with 725 extra rooms in addition to the existing 1,100. This hotel will include a restaurant, bar and gym with a rooftop swimming pool.
This 83,000-square-feet update will add to the gaming sections of the resort on top of its leisure and hotel areas. A 34 table World Series of Poker room has been added too.
“Inspired by the American Craftsman/Prairie School style, the design of the Hotel complex evokes harmony with the surrounding environment, inviting pedestrians to stroll along the Soco Creek walkway and its native landscape elements, designed by the Smallwood Landscape team,” Smallwood said in a statement regarding the project. “Careful planning and an effective collaborative effort by the design team were critical to safeguarding the maintenance of access and operations of the existing hotel and casino buildings while construction of the new building is undergoing. These challenges involved the phasing of roadways and major utilities, including significant stormwater retention and grading work.”
The project is reported to have cost $250m and will launch later this year after a four year process.
Speaking on the expansion, regional senior vice president for Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Brooks Robinson said: “This expansion has been an integral component to our property and community’s growth and helps us further show that Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is truly a destination that is unlike any other in the Carolinas. We look forward to welcoming both new and returning visitors to see the results of this project.”
