Catawba Nation plans two additional North Carolina casinos, tribal chief confirms

The Catawba Indian Nation plans to build two more casinos in North Carolina, Chief Brian Harris announced at the opening of the first phase of the $1.2 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort.

Speaking before approximately 500 tribal members and guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Harris said the tribe remains committed to expanding its gaming operations across the state, the Charlotte Observer reported.

“We got two more casinos to build in this state, and goddamn we’re going to build them,” he said. The tribe has already identified the sites, but Harris declined to reveal the locations of the proposed casinos, citing ongoing negotiations.

“I can’t tell you that right now,” Harris told The Charlotte Observer after the ceremony. “It’s all about negotiations. We’ve identified the locations. We’re in preliminary negotiations right now. And once those come to fruition, when we come to deal, we’ll make an announcement.”

The newly opened introductory casino, located off Interstate 85 at Exit 5, about 35 miles west of Charlotte, features 1,350 slot machines, 36 electronic table games, 22 traditional table games, a 68-seat restaurant, an 18-seat bar, sports betting kiosks and a player rewards desk. The facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Construction of the full Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort is expected to be completed in spring 2027. Once finished, the resort will include 4,300 slot machines, 100 live table games, 11 tribally owned and operated restaurants, 11 bars, and a 24-story hotel with 385 guest rooms.

Tribal officials said the completed resort is expected to create approximately 2,200 permanent jobs, making it one of the largest economic development projects in the region.

Hundreds of people lined Kings Mountain Boulevard for the opening of the first phase of the $1.25 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino. The new facility replaces the temporary casino that opened on the same site in July 2021.