N.C. Harrah’s opens fourth tower, convention center

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, N.C., has opened the resort’s fourth hotel tower, The Cherokee, and the 83,000-square-foot Cherokee Convention Center. The opening of these new amenities marks the completion of the property's $330 million expansion project, which broke ground in June 2018.

“We have positioned ourselves as the leader in the entertainment industry in the Carolinas with our diversified experiences and amenities, and the completion of this three-and-a-half-year expansion project further solidifies our standing," said Brooks Robinson, regional SVP and general manager of Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos. "Introduced in this project is additional lodging and dining options, plus a convention center that nearly triples our previous rentable meeting space.”

Richard Sneed, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians principal chief, said the expanded resort will bring a new revenue stream: “In addition to offering unique experiences for visitors, this expansion project will attract conventions and will provide more space for businesses and associations to network in a way that has not always been accommodable in the past. This new business opportunity will provide an expanded revenue stream that will directly impact the EBCI community in a positive way for years to come.” 

The New Spaces

The 19-story tower has 725 rooms and seven suites. Its design concept is "rooted in earth tones" with accents of burnt sienna, golden hues and charcoal gray along with a mix of eucalyptus and walnut woods.

In the two-story, open-air lobby, the 30-foot registration desk made of onyx stone is in front of a custom slatted walnut wood design, lit to create an abstract representation of the Smoky Mountains. A 50-seat lobby bar and lounge is highlighted by a sky-blue marble wall lined with cascading bottles of wine.

On the second floor, the tower’s terrace pool has views of the mountains as well as the fitness center. Two exclusive 800-square-foot hospitality suites with full kitchens have a private entrance to the pool.

The new 83,000-square-foot meetings and conventions space more than triples the current convention space at  the resort. The three-level expansion is highlighted by a 32,000-square-foot ballroom. The Cherokee Convention Center also features a prefunction ballroom, 26 meeting spaces and an exhibition hall.