North Carolina state Rep. Mark Walker recently became one of the latest opponents of proposed federal legislation to allow the South Carolina-based Catawba Nation to acquire 16 acres in North Carolina for a casino. The legislation, sponsored by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, would place in federal trust 16 acres near Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Supporters said the Catawba casino would create 4,000 jobs and an annual economic boost of $350 million for Kings Mountain.
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis—who may face a 2020 primary from Walker—co-sponsored the measure.
Walker stated, “Despite strong bipartisan opposition from our state and local governments, this federal overreach would give preferential treatment to a tribe recognized by South Carolina to reap benefits at the expense of North Carolinians and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. I urge my colleagues to ensure that North Carolinians don’t have their voices stripped away.”
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s spokesman Ford Porter said the Senate bill would limit the state’s ability to negotiate a final agreement on any casino deal. Porter explained the measure would exempt the Catawbas from a provision of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that gives the governor a voice regarding any new Indian gaming in the state.
U.S. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, who also co-sponsored Graham’s bill, said that’s not true. His spokeswoman Caitlin Carroll said, “Far from limiting local input, this bill would prevent a major gaming facility from being built in North Carolina without the state’s approval. The Catawba are currently exempt from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which means they don’t have to negotiate a tribal-state compact before building gaming facilitates like casinos. This bill gives North Carolina a say on whether a casino is built near Kings Mountain.”
However, National Indian Gaming Association Executive Director Jason Giles said Cooper “is right to worry that he won’t have the protections” of IGRA if the bill becomes law. Giles said the normal process can be “quite onerous,” requiring the governor to approve the Catawba’s application to put land into federal trust as well as environmental impact studies.
The Catawbas cannot build a casino on their 700-acre reservation in York County, South Carolina, due to a provision in a 1993 agreement. But another provision in the agreement gave the tribe a 6-county service area in North Carolina. They cite this provision as allowing them to build the Kings Mountain casino.
The Eastern Band of Cherokees, who own have two casinos on their 56,000-acre reservation known as the Qualla Boundary oppose the Catawba casino. Chief Richard Sneed said, “We encourage the Catawba Indian Nation to pursue an on-reservation economy in their home state of South Carolina like we have developed in our home state of North Carolina. This bill is a harmful precedent, the first time Congress has authorized a tribe to acquire land into trust simply to create an off-reservation casino. “
But Catawba Chief Bill Harris responded, “North Carolina is a gaming state. Its government operates a state lottery and there are two Cherokee-affiliated casinos operating in western North Carolina. We only seek to be treated fairly and equitably by the U.S. government, as our Cherokee brothers and sisters are treated.”
Harris added a recent letter sent by 38 North Carolina state senators to the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs committee opposing the Catawba casino is “the latest in a series of obstructive moves designed to hurt our Nation. This letter is no surprise to anyone, as it was signed by many of the same state legislators who signed such letters in the past, and who have received thousands upon thousands of campaign dollars from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.”
Campaign finance filings confirm the Eastern Band’s political action committee, one of the largest in North Carolina, gave legislators, political committees and other candidates $570,400 in the 2018 election and a total of $1.3 million over the last three elections.
The Catawbas also have a significant contributor in Wallace Cheves, owner of Skyboat Gaming which would build the Kings Mountain casino. Cheves gave $100,000 to the Republican National Committee last year; since 2015 he has given $20,900 to Tillis, $16,400 to Burr and $10,800 to Graham, according to Federal Election Commission records. He co-chaired Graham’s South Carolina presidential campaign in 2016.
Also, recently a full-page ad signed by 1,200 people ran in the Shelby Star, urging lawmakers to oppose “an industry that preys on the weakest sectors of society.” Rev. Alton Beal, president of Ambassador Baptist College in Cleveland County, said the names were gathered in less than a week. “We only scratched the surface of the faith community,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Band recently finalized a naming rights deal worth up to $5.75 million over 10 years with Asheville’s civic center. The venue, now known as U.S. Cellular Center Asheville, will be known as Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, effective January 1, 2020. The tribe’s proposal beat U.S. Cellular’s, whose contract will end on December 31.
The city council voted 6-1 in favor off the agreement, calling for Harrah’s Cherokee to pay $3.25 million over five years with possible extensions bringing the total value to $5.75 million over 10 years.
Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said, “The city of Asheville is looking forward to growing our relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians through the naming rights for the Civic Center. We appreciate the investment they are making in downtown Asheville.”
