A major tribal casino development set to impact two states launched the first phase of a $1.25-billion project this week.
Key Takeaways
- Two Kings added 250 slots and eight more table games inside its new gaming facility.
- There are also 18 new retail sports betting kiosks.
- The complex will add 385 hotel rooms by 2027.
The Catawba Nation’s Two Kings Casino, located 35 miles outside of Charlotte, N.C., and just minutes from the South Carolina border, moved from its temporary trailer-connected facility to a brand new gaming floor, which opened to players on Wednesday morning, according to the Charlotte Observer.
One of three in-person casinos located on tribal lands in North Carolina not only unveiled a state-of the-art look, but it also added 250 slots, giving the gaming facility 1,350 machines. There are an additional eight live dealer tables, increasing the operator’s number to 22.
The new site installed 18 retail sports betting kiosks, up from the previous facility, and added an 18-seat bar and a 68-seat restaurant. Two levels of a parking garage also opened this week.
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What’s next?
The next phase of the casino will feature 385 hotel rooms, 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games, 11 dining options, and nearly a dozen bars in the two-million-square-foot facility. The resort complex is expected to be completed by the spring of 2027.
The current casino already employs 600 people, but that number is expected to rise to more than 2,000 when the gaming facility is fully operational.
“This casino resort will be an economic game changer for Catawba citizens and a force to drive the economy of Cleveland County and the City of Kings Mountain,” Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said last year. “This project is a testament to our resilience, our commitment to self-sufficiency, and our determination to build a better future for ourselves and our future generations.”
The Catawba announced plans to enter gaming in 2013 and began operating out of the temporary casino in July 2021, offering slot machines and electronic games. The facility launched live-dealer table games in 2024, offering blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and more. Construction on the billion-dollar project also began in 2024 and took many months to build up the infrastructure around the complex. Two Kings broke ground on the first phase last summer.
Sports betting in N.C.
The Catawba are building a massive complex that will bring gaming close to a metropolitan area and compete with two casinos in western North Carolina run by the Cherokee through a partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
Two Kings has been operating retail sports betting since 2022, a year after Harrah’s Cherokee began offering in-person sportsbooks.
North Carolina lawmakers legalized online sports betting in March 2024, bringing FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, bet365, Fanatics, and PENN Entertainment’s platform to the state.
Retail facilities outside of the three in-person casinos have failed to take off. Caesars also runs its mobile sports betting app through its partnership with the Cherokee.
The Catawba also applied for an online North Carolina sports betting license, but the operator has yet to find a partner or launch its own mobile version.
