Artist's rendering of the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in North Carolina. Photo from Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Casey Blake, the Answer Woman, finds out whether the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will go smoke-free with its second gaming facility in North Carolina:
The Smoke-Free Restaurants and Bars Law in North Carolina banned smoking in restaurant and bars about four years ago, leaving only a few exceptions, like cigar bars and private, nonprofit clubs with the option of allowing indoor smoking. But Cherokee Tribal Lands are not subject to state laws, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee hasn’t made these types of sweeping bans. Principal Chief Michell Hicks said the idea hasn’t been pressed to outlaw smoking in the casinos, and likely won’t be anytime soon. “I think management has always tried to accommodate nonsmokers and make that a part of the facility,” Hicks said. “But we haven’t had that conversation about banning it altogether, or forcing management to. I don’t know how far that would get … there are people who do smoke and customers who want that.” Lumpy Lambert, general manager at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel, said the new casino will be a smoking facility and may or may not have a nonsmoking area.Get the Story:
Casey Blake: Answer Woman: Casino smoking, traffic tubes (The Asheville Citizen-Times 4/5) Related Stories:
Eastern Cherokees set to open second casino by end of the year (02/20)
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