Following a trip to Las Vegas, Kings Mountain, North Carolina Councilman Tommy Hawkins announced he had changed his mind about supporting a proposed Catawba Indian Nation casino resort. He showed the packed meeting room a letter he said he was mailing to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn stating he had reevaluated his decision of 10 months ago and now was retracting his support. “This community does not welcome casinos, I can’t believe you want to evict a church and bring in a casino,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins is the second council member to oppose the proposed casino. Last year Councilman Keith Miller refused to sign the mayor’s and city council’s letter of endorsement. Also at the meeting, six members of the Kings Mountain Awareness Group asked council members to switch their support of the project. Adam Forcade, a leader of the Kings Mountain Awareness Group, said, “My observation is that I firmly believe that several of you councilmen wish you had made a different decision last year when approached with this issue. I am sure at the time you got caught up in the moment and truly believed a casino would be a good thing for Kings Mountain. However, as time passed and the facts have come to light, I believe that several of you have changed your position and would decide differently should the question arise today.”
Supporters have said the casino-resort will enhance economic development in Cleveland County.
