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Hundreds of people lined Kings Mountain Boulevard on Wednesday morning for the opening of the first phase of the $1.25 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino in North Carolina.
The casino, located off Interstate 85 at Exit 5 about 35 miles west of Charlotte, officially opened its introductory gaming facility at 10 a.m, The Charlotte Observer reported. Crowds began arriving hours earlier, though, eager to be among the first to experience the new venue.
The first phase of the casino 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 new facility replaces the temporary casino that opened on the same site in July 2021. Compared with the original venue, the upgraded casino adds 250 slot machines and eight additional table games. Two levels of parking in the complex also opened on Wednesday.
Trent Troxel, Vice President of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, said the full resort project remains on schedule for completion in spring 2027. Once finished, the permanent casino resort will span approximately 2 million square feet and include a 24-story hotel with 385 rooms, 4,300 slot machines, and 100 table games.
It will further encompass 11 restaurants, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, marketplace, café, and grab-and-go outlet. Additional amenities will include a players’ lounge, 11 bars, 2,700 underground parking spaces, and 800 ground-level spaces.
Construction on the permanent resort began following a groundbreaking ceremony in June 2024. In October 2025, crews placed the final structural beam atop the casino during a topping-off ceremony.
Troxel said the development is helping revitalize employment opportunities in the region after decades of decline in the textile industry.
According to tribal officials, the project has already generated hundreds of construction jobs and is expected to employ approximately 2,200 local residents and members of the Catawba Nation once completed.