Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy, North Carolina will open at 2:00 p.m. Monday, September 28. It’s already making a tremendous direct economic impact in the region, having spent more than million in construction expenses, said Senior Vice President and Regional General Manger Brooks Robinson. “We are very pleased much of the project’s costs were spent with local vendors,” he said. Added Valley River General Manger Lumpy Lambert, “Everything from steel to food service is included in the total, so many businesses benefited. This amount doesn’t include the additional monies paid by subcontractors for housing and food during the project, but it’s a sizable amount. I’m very pleased we could keep so much in western North Carolina.”
The property has hired more than 1,000 employees, whose salaries “will be the most long-lasting and impactful component of regional economic impact,” Robinson said. “Our past experience in opening properties in new areas shows our employees purchase housing, vehicles, major appliances, furniture and raise their overall standard of living with the wages we pay. In addition, we pay 100 percent of the employee’s medical and dental insurance costs so their access to medical care also increases dramatically.”
