|
Harrah’s opens smoke-free gaming floor
By Derek Hodges
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel Monday (Sept. 12) opened a new smoke-free gaming floor.
The new area, located just off the main gambling area on the Soco Creek side of the casino, is the result of customer feedback that requested a non-smoking area, said Harrah’s Cherokee General Manager Tom O’Donnell.
“This is for you,” O’Donnell said just before the ribbon cutting that opened the new floor. “We’ve conducted some market research and our customers have continually been saying they’d like a smoke-free gaming floor.”
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel General Manager Tom O’Donnell, left, and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks celebrate the grand opening of the casino’s new non-smoking gaming floor. Both men hope the new area will attract more customers to the facility.
O’Donnell called the special floor “unique,” saying there were probably less than a half-dozen such areas in casinos around the nation. Through a special ventilation system, air in the casino’s main and smoke-free areas is recirculated 30 times each hour. That allows for the smoke-free floor to remain free of smoke even though it is connected to the main floor by a large corridor.
“This is an opportunity for us to make a statement about our commitment to serving our customers,” O’Donnell said.
The new gaming area has more than 250 electronic machines, and four digital 21 tables.
Harrah’s Cherokee also recently announced the opening of its hotel’s Soco Tower. According to Harrah’s spokesman Lynne Harlan, the expansion is a result of the success of the hotel’s Mountain Tower, which averages 98 percent occupancy.
The new tower was built at a cost of $60 million, and includes 303 premium rooms, 21 luxury suites and eight grand suites. All rooms feature artwork by members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The casino and hotel are an enterprise of the Eastern Band, which receives profit from the property that is managed by Harrah’s.
The tribe is excited about the new facilities, Principal Chief Michell Hicks said.
“These new areas continue to show our commitment to providing the products to meet the needs of our customers,” Hicks said.
The smoke-free floor is located largely inside an addition that was originally intended to hold new games, including live versions of blackjack, craps, roulette and perhaps even poker, Harlan said. That idea ended as debate continued over the games that are allowed by law.
Hicks is currently in negotiations with Gov. Mike Easley to extend the tribe’s gaming compact. The tribe is asking for several changes in the rules that regulate its gambling enterprises, including allowing games of chance, live dealers and the opportunity to open other casinos, Hicks said.
“I think we’re making progress in our discussions with the governor,” Hicks said. “I am hopeful that we will have something to announce before the end of 2005.”
With the recent approval of a state lottery by the General Assembly, the rules for what types of games are allowed in the state have changed. New rules would allow games of chance, which have been banned. Until now games at Harrah’s had to include an “element of dexterity,” meaning players were required to interact with the games, Harlan said. At other casinos players simply pull a lever or push a button and hope for the best. At Harrah’s Cherokee, they are given the option of holding one or more reels in the same position for a second spin. That option is unique to Harrah’s Cherokee location, and may be included when games of chance are brought to the facility sometime in the coming months, Harlan said.
The new facilities at Harrah’s Cherokee are opening as the full extent of damage from Hurricane Katrina to Harrah’s Gulf Coast locations is being realized. The casino may experience a slight increase in patronage from customers who formerly played at other locations, O’Donnell said. He called that potential “bittersweet.”
“As peoples’ lives settle in, we anticipate we will see an uptick in our business,” O’Donnell said.
Harrah’s employees who lost their jobs because of the hurricane will receive pay for 90 days, and may be able to find jobs at other Harrah’s locations, Harlan said.
|
