The Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians in North Carolina says the tribe is on track to open a $110 million casino in the summer of 2015 despite budget and management changes.
The tribe broke ground on the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel last October. But due to budget concerns, construction manager Sneed, Robertson and Associates was eliminated.
“It was done for a very good reason, and that’s to take pressure off the budget,” Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise Chairman Ray Rose told The Smoky Mountain News.
By taking on the role of construction manager, the tribe will save about 2 percent of the budget for the casino. The firm, however, questioned the decision.
“Whenever there’s concern with budgets or a budget or project becomes financially strapped or challenged, typically that introduces even more challenge into a project, and that manager role becomes even more important,” Eric Sneed, the president and co-owner of the firm, told The Smoky Mountain News . “You’ve got to have someone there who is living and breathing the details of that project.”
Get the Story:
Tribal board eliminates Murphy construction management position
(The Smoky Mountain News 6/18)
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino is on-schedule and on-budget
(The Cherokee One Feather 6/16)
Related Stories:
Eastern Cherokees plan to open new casino in about a year
(04/28)