Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
Cherokee, North Carolina
Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino has come a long way in the 20 years since the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened its new facility in the rolling Smoky Mountain hills of Cherokee, North Carolina. The Eastern Band entered the modern era of gaming in 1997 with an $83 million, 175,000-square-foot casino, and over the past two decades, the now-sprawling resort has come to rival the casinos of Las Vegas.
Today, Harrah’s Cherokee has more than 1,100 hotel rooms and a gaming floor with 4,000 slot machines, table games and a renowned World Series of Poker room.
The Eastern Band owns the 56-acre resort 50 miles west of Asheville, and Harrah’s operates and manages it. Last year, the tribal council approved plans to move forward with a $200 million expansion to build another hotel tower, which would add 600 to 800 guest rooms, and 100,000 square feet of convention space. Crews could break ground this spring.
In September 2017, the resort opened its new UltraStar Multi-tainment Center just off the casino floor. The 50,000-square-foot center offers a full-service restaurant, 16 bowling lanes, an arcade and a VIP area upstairs with another eight bowling lanes, pool tables and an outdoor patio with a fireplace.
Groups can check out concerts and other performances at the 3,000-seat Harrah’s Event Center or book services at the 18,000-square-foot Mandara Spa. Shoppers will find name-brand fashions and handmade Cherokee artwork, and outdoor enthusiasts have plenty of activities to choose from, including hiking and whitewater rafting.
The resort has eight restaurants and bars, including Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Chefs Stage Buffet and Brio Tuscan Grille.
www.caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee
Oneida Casino and Radisson Hotel and Conference Center
Green Bay, Wisconsin
The Oneida Nation’s main casino in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is surrounded by lush, green woods yet sits directly across the street from the Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport.
In 2014, Oneida Casino wrapped up its first expansion since opening 20 years earlier. The project added 17,500 square feet, which included an eight-table private poker room; Vince Lombardi’s Legendary Sports Bar and Grill, named for the Green Bay Packers’ famed coach; and a three-station food court that today features Boar’s Head deli, Chicken Fry Fry and Grill Masters.
The renovation project also included a new Players Club and the Oneida Cultural Corridor, which features items and artwork from the Oneida Nation Museum. The entire property also received a facelift that included new paint; new carpeting; and HVAC upgrades.
The renovations boosted the number of slot machines from 890 to 970, and nearly half of those are now in nonsmoking areas. In addition to slot machines, the casino offers nine types of table games, including blackjack, craps and roulette. The bingo hall can seat over 700 players, and in the Off-Track Betting room, guests can wager on and watch live thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races from top tracks around the country.
At the attached Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, the lobby’s soaring stone fireplace and wood-wrapped walls set the stage for the hotel’s Oneida-inspired decor. The property has 354 guest rooms and suites, 30,000 square feet of meeting space and an indoor pool; dining options include the Pine Tree Grill and Purcell’s Lounge.
