The Cherokee Nation tribal council recently unanimously voted to transfer a 4.7-acre tract to the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise to be used for additional parking at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. Currently the vacant Soco Valley Motel occupies part of the land, located across from existing casino parking.
TCGE Chairman Rich Sneed said more parking is badly needed, especially with construction and improvements planned for the complex. “We’re already parking people off the property and employees, it’s tough on an employee to have to be there 30 minutes early to catch a bus to get back to work,” Sneed said. . “It’s just the first step in trying to acquire that property on that side so we can develop it.”
The tribe paid the appraised price of $3.575 million to owners Norma Rae Hardin and Ursula Anne Hardin Maunder earlier this year. Principal Chief Richard Sneed said the appraised price reflects land value only, since the buildings have no value and will be removed.
Chief Sneed said the tribe eventually would like to purchase more property across from the casino. He said a lot of the buildings are deteriorated or vacant lodging businesses. Hardin and Maunder were the first landowners who agreed to sell for the appraised value.
