Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel is a gaming destination in Cherokee, North Carolina, about 60 mile southwest of the city of Asheville. The facility is operated under the auspices of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The Cherokee

The Cherokee had at one time lived in the area near the Great Lakes, but eventually came south and settled in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains. Although they supported the British during the American Revolution, the Cherokee eventually came to terms with their American neighbors and adopted many of the practices of the American/European culture. A Cherokee alphabet, invented in 1821, was so successful that in a short time a majority of the members of the tribe were literate.

Most of the Cherokees were eventually forcibly removed to Oklahoma by the U.S. government in 1838 and 1839 along a path later known as the "Trail of Tears" because so many died along the way. A few hundred tribe members who escaped the removal process formed the nucleus of the Eastern Band, which now makes its home near the Tennessee/North Carolina border.

The Casino and Hotel

The 90,000 square foot casino Is open 24 hours a day. There are more than 3,500 video gaming machines, five restaurants, a live entertainment facility known as the Cherokee Pavilion, two gift shops, and an arcade.

According to a compact with the government of North Carolina signed in 1994, the video machines in the casino must be games of skill. “Skill” slots are different from conventional video slots by virtue of the fact that the player has two chances to spin the reels. After seeing the results of the first spin, the player has to decide which of the symbols to keep before spinning again.

Conventional table games are not permitted. However, the facility does offer live video blackjack, which combines real dealers and casino chips with video displays and digital cards in a table game atmosphere. Patrons may also try their hand at mini-baccarat, in which live dealers use real chips and digital cards.

The 15-story luxury hotel is connected to the casino by an elevated walkway. Adjacent to the facility is a 15,000 square-foot conference center.