"Any way the dice are rolled, gambling comes up a winner for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Now, Gov. Bev Perdue wants North Carolina to cash in on further success. She’s trying to drive a bargain that would cut the state in on an expansion of gambling operations in Cherokee — and she may be trying to take advantage of the tribe’s fears of competition from another casino. The Harrah’s Cherokee Casino opened in 1997 but, under a state compact, allows only video gambling, not live games. Even so, it drew 3.6 million visitors last year and generated revenue of $386 million, according to a study by the UNC-CH Kenan-Flagler Business School. The casino employs 1,674, and its profits provide direct payments to enrolled members of the Eastern Band." Get the Story: