Harrah's Cherokee

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Harrah's Cherokee

Number of rooms 576
Theme Native American
Gaming space ft²
Permanent show(s)
Signature attraction(s)
Notable restaurant(s)
Owner Harrah's Entertainment (under contract to the Cherokee Indians)
Date opened
Casino type Land-Based
Major renovation(s) none
Previous name(s) none
Casino website Harrah's Cherokee

Harrah's Cherokee Casino is a casino located on the Cherokee Indian reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina. The casino is owned by the tribe and operated by Harrah's Entertainment.

Since the tribe's compact with North Carolina restricts the types of gaming permitted, most of the games offered have significant differences with those found in casinos in Nevada, Mississippi and most other states. All games must be computer-operated, and most require a type of skill to play. For most of the video slot machines, this means that after an initial spin of the reels, the player is allowed to lock selected reels in place and spin again, holding reels with valuable symbols in hopes of matching them up with winning symbols on the second spin. Traditional table games are not offered, but the casino does have a limited number of tables where blackjack and baccarat are played using cards dealt by computerized video monitors built into the table surface. Video poker, which already includes a strong element of skill in its standard form, is the only game offered that does not differ from other regular casinos.

Harrah's Cherokee is also unusual because is a "dry" casino. No alcoholic beverages are served on site. Tribal law prohibits the sale of alcohol anywhere on the reservation. Even the mini-bars in the hotel rooms feature only soft drinks. Proposals to allow the sale of alcohol at Harrah's Cherokee have come before the Tribal Gaming Enterprise Board three times since the casino opened but all three proposals have failed to win approval. The most recent rejection came in January 2006 when a proposal for a tribal referendum to grant a variance to the casino was withdrawn by the board after meeting community resistance[1].

The Harrah's Cherokee complex also includes a hotel, a buffet and a fine-dining restaurant.

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