Living the Present

We are proud of what we have achieved, and have made great strides in key areas including health care, economic development, and education.

Our struggles in the past have provided us great strength and perspective. As a tribe, we have worked diligently over the past 50 years to provide opportunities and improved quality of life for our people and the surrounding communities of western North Carolina where we reside.

Providing free health care to members and serving all of western North Carolina.

Health Care

Cherokee Indian Hospital &
Substance Abuse Programs

We have dedicated significant resources and revenue from our casinos to providing quality health care in the region. We recently completed an $83 million state-of-the-art facility that brings a wide range of services and programs to all of western North Carolina, and are already working on expanding to better meet the health care needs of our community.

Kanvwotiyi

The place where one is healed

This one-of-a-kind substance abuse and mental health facility is tackling the opioid crisis in Western North Carolina head-on. Developing similar programs that proactively address pressing health care issues in our community is just one of the many ways we are caring for our community.

We understand the value of education. This is why we provide free college tuition to our high school graduates.

Education

With revenue generated from our casino, we are able to provide STEM programs in our classrooms, leadership development training, Cherokee language training and cultural history courses.

Not only do we offer students programs and training that enable them to dream big, we also provide them with incentives that encourage them to achieve. Funding from the casino also allows us to provide tuition for every tribal member interested in pursuing higher education or training.

For Raylen Bark, she dreams of going to Stanford, going on to study tribal law, and returning to serve our community as an attorney for the tribe.

Cherokee initiatives like Harrah’s Hotel & Casino are the 2nd largest employer in Western North Carolina, providing over 4,750 jobs.

Economic Growth

Cherokee initiatives in Western North Carolina generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, thousands of jobs, and attract over 5 million visitors annually. These initiatives have been integral in decreasing the unemployment rate from a high of 17% to around 3% in the region. Economic opportunity bolstered by the Cherokee provides resources that improve quality of life, improve education, and benefit our people and communities.

5,411
additional indirect jobs tied to Cherokee casino resorts / $276 million in indirect wages & salaries
3,069
employees (5% of total) in far-western counties / 10% of jobs in Jackson, Swain & Cherokee Counties
2,600
additional jobs & $90 million from local spending
750,000,000
from Cherokee casino resorts (2018)
330,000,000
in financed capital investments (by 2020)
5,200,000
visitors annually

Harrah’s Cherokee
Casino Resort

This four-star, luxury hotel and casino provides tourists with recreational and gaming opportunities in a scenic setting in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Complete with restaurants, spa, casino, pool, and a conference center, the resort generates over $750 million in revenue, with proceeds funding many of the tribe’s initiatives and investment activities, as well as non-profit organizations that support cultural preservation and economic growth. The casino employs over 3,000 people and is one of the largest employers in the region. Another estimated 5,400 jobs are thought to be generated by casino revenues and in the surrounding area.

Museum of the
Cherokee Indian

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian was created to remember our past and celebrate our continuing culture as a people. The museum provides visitors with insight into our traditions, religious practices, and ceremonies, and houses many cultural and historical artifacts that solidify our sense of place, time, and significance as a people and in North Carolina.

Museum of the
Cherokee Indian

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian was created to remember our past and celebrate our continuing culture as a people. The museum provides visitors with insight into our traditions, religious practices, and ceremonies, and houses many cultural and historical artifacts that solidify our sense of place, time, and significance as a people and in North Carolina.

Cherokee Preservation
Foundation

Proceeds from the Cherokee Casino resort helped establish the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, an organization dedicated to cultural, economic, and environmental preservation in western North Carolina. Over the past 10 years, the organization has provided more than $166 million in grants, training, and support for initiatives related to:

• Leadership development
• Tourism
• Economic diversification
• STEM in local schools
• Revitalization of city centers
• Economic diversification
• Cultural preservation and revitalization

Tourism

The region of western North Carolina that the EBCI call home is also some of the greatest natural treasures and landscapes in the United States. A source of pride for all of North Carolina, this region is home to areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the many resources and treasures that surround it.

Millions of visitors come to this area to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains, fish in the plentiful rivers, recreate and relax in the Cherokee casino and hotel, or to experience the cultural and historical treasures of the Cherokee. These visitors also provide revenue crucial to economic sustainability in the region.

Tourism

The region of western North Carolina that the EBCI call home is also some of the greatest natural treasures and landscapes in the United States. A source of pride for all of North Carolina, this region is home to areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the many resources and treasures that surround it.

Millions of visitors come to this area to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains, fish in the plentiful rivers, recreate and relax in the Cherokee casino and hotel, or to experience the cultural and historical treasures of the Cherokee. These visitors also provide revenue crucial to economic sustainability in the region.

Future.