‘A new chapter.’ Catawba Indians celebrate 1st phase of $1.2 billion NC casino
When people peer at his tribe’s $1.2 billion casino off Interstate 85 in Kings Mountain, “some see slot machines,” Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said Wednesday.
“I see jobs,” he said. “I see families with homes.”
Harris fought tears as he addressed 500 tribal members and others at a ribbon cutting celebrating the recent opening of the first phase of the casino 35 miles west of Charlotte.
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort represents “a new chapter” for the tribe, one that opponents said ”couldn’t be built,” Harris said. “They underestimated the heart of the Catawba people ... Now we’re in control of our own destiny.”
The celebration marked five years since the July 1, 2021, opening of the casino in a single-level temporary venue on the same site.
The chief also said Wednesday that the tribe will build two more casinos in North Carolina.
A look inside the construction
The July opening followed a yearslong effort to gain federal recognition that the Rock Hill, S.C.-based tribe had rightful claim to land in North Carolina. The tribe also faced legal battles over the casino from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
The first phase of the permanent Kings Mountain casino opened May 20 and includes 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.
Construction of the main casino complex continues, with a projected spring 2027 opening.
The complex will be about 2 million square feet and include a 24-story, 385-room hotel, 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games and 11 restaurants, a marketplace with six venues, a café and a grab-and-go outlet.
All the restaurants will be tribal owned and operated, Trent Troxel, vice president the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, said during a media tour of the complex after Wednesday’s ribbon cutting.
The tour revealed just how gigantic the place is. Each floor spans seven acres. And the 2 million square feet in the complex equals seven Empire State buildings in New York City, said Chuck Kilroy of Delaware North, the casino project consultant.
Troxel pointed to areas of the sixth-floor main casino where a 250-seat signature steakhouse and a 200-seat signature Italian restaurant will open, and others where bars and a balcony are planned.
Pasta and some of the cheeses for the Italian restaurant will be made in house, said Teddy Burgis, director of food and beverage for the casino. A library of 3,000-plus wines is planned, with some of the wines expected to contend for “Wine Spectator” awards, he said.
The complex also will have a players lounge, 11 bars, 46 elevators, 2,700 underground parking spaces and 800 ground-level spaces.
Casino officials are working with the Catawba Cultural Center to provide artwork throughout the casino and hotel, Troxel said.
Troxel earlier fought tears as he addressed fellow tribal members, saying, to applause, “What we do, we do for you.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 6:21 PM with the headline "‘A new chapter.’ Catawba Indians celebrate 1st phase of $1.2 billion NC casino."