Regulation

Eastern Cherokees seek more tribal preference for casino work

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina. Photo from Facebook

Members and leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are seeking to strengthen the tribe's preference laws, especially when it comes to doing business with the gaming facilities on the North Carolina reservation.

According to business owner Ernest Tiger, only four of the 530 of the vendors at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort are certified by the Tribal Employee Rights Office. That means most of the work is going to non-Indian companies.

“I think what disturbs me the most is that we, the Indian people, the Cherokee people, are paying the total debt on that gaming enterprise and then we turn around and allow that many people who have no affiliation to this tribe do the things at this casino that so many of our Indian people are capable of doing,” council member Teresa McCoy said at a meeting this month, The Smoky Mountain News reported.

Kevin Jackson, the chair of the TERO board, said changes are already underway. A draft of the new law is expected in the coming months, the paper reported.

The tribe also operates the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel on its reservation.

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Tribe looks to strengthen preference laws for tribal businesses (The Smoky Mountain News 3/16)