Federal backing for Catawba Indian Nation casino endeavor
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The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 1619 on Monday to 'reaffirm' the earlier move from the Department of the Interior that placed a 16.5-acre plot of land near the small community of Kings Mountain into trust for the federally-recognized tribe. The site is located approximately 30 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina.
House Resolution 1619 was sponsored by South Carolina representative Jim Clyburn and North Carolina counterparts Alma Adams, David Price and George Butterfield. It is an attempt to stop the envisioned tribal casino project from being cancelled and to bring it under federal protection and regulation.
Catawba Indian Nation inked a revenue-sharing gaming compact with the state of North Carolina in January. The tribe wants to open its Catawbas Two Kings Casino Resort by the end of 2023. Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians operates North Carolin's only casinos.
The Catawba Indian Nation wants to build a casino resort in North Carolina. The second tribe claims that the tribe's ancestral territory lies 34 miles away in South Carolina, so the federal government wants the reservation to be approved.
Bill Harris is the Chief of the Catawba Indian Nation. He is pleased with the legislation that recognizes the tribe's historical and ancestral ties to North Carolina. The temporary casino opened in July has so far welcomed over 80,000 patrons. Construction on the permanent replacement is scheduled to begin before the end of this year.
