Catawba Nation Set to Begin Construction of Permanent Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort After Settlement With Former Developer

The Catawba Nation is set to begin construction of a more than $700 million permanent casino resort in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, about 35 minutes from downtown Charlotte, after finalizing a settlement with its former casino developer over the ground lease for its trust lands.

The Catawba Nation finalized the private settlement with South Carolina developer Wallace Cheves’ Sky Boat Gaming in early May, removing the firm from any interest in the project.

The Catawba Nation in February also purchased from Sky Boat land around its temporary casino, including the parking lot and additional property that may be used to support resort amenities and experiences.

“We persevered to achieve a fair deal so that we can now realize the full financial and economic benefits of the project for Catawba Nation members and residents of Cleveland County,” Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said.

 “The establishment of this casino is not just about bricks and mortar; it symbolizes our commitment to preserving our tribal identity, supporting our community and creating opportunities for our people. This project will not only generate revenue for our tribe but also provide jobs, education and social programs that will benefit our members and the surrounding region."

Harris added, "These jobs, including construction jobs, along with increased patron traffic, will provide local governments and the state of North Carolina with additional tax revenue and other investments under our compact. The Catawba are working to keep casino revenue in North Carolina as opposed to what outside commercial casino companies would do.” 

Planning for the permanent casino resort continued while the settlement was being negotiated, with construction and design plans now finalized.

Initial financing is in place and a ceremonial groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m. June 7 at the site to mark the beginning of construction.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have contributed to making this dream a reality – from our tribal council, legal team, (Catawba Nation) Gaming Authority, (Catawba Nation) Gaming Commission and partners, to the hard-working individuals who will construct this casino. Together, we stand united in our mission to build a sustainable future for our tribe and uphold our cultural values,” Harris said.

Work has also been completed on two key infrastructure projects for development of the permanent casino resort that were funded by the Catawba Nation: doubling the size of the Dixon School Road Bridge over Interstate 85 near the casino entrance and installing new sewer lines near the casino.

Delaware North, the global hospitality and entertainment company that has served as a consultant to the Catawba Nation on the project since 2019, is expected to manage and serve as developer of the permanent casino resort once the contracts are approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

SOSHNY Design, which has designed many casino resorts, including Delaware North’s $320 million Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas, is the architect.

During construction, the Catawba Nation will continue to operate its temporary casino, which opened in 2021 and features 1,000 slot machines, electronic table games (ETGs), a retail sportsbook and restaurant.

The temporary casino is set to add 12 live table games and 56 additional slot machines in early summer, along with additional surface parking.

The permanent casino resort, which will be about 2 million square feet at full buildout, will be completed in two main phases:

Introductory Casino – This phase will be constructed at ground level with 1,350 slots/ETGs, 12 table games and a restaurant with 40 seats that will include a sportsbook area with 30 self-service kiosks. In addition, supporting back-of-house space for surveillance, security, the cage and part of the first two floors of the parking garage (1,600 spots) will be completed above the ground level.

Upon opening, estimated for early 2026, the Introductory Casino will replace the current temporary facility. Employment will be at about 420 positions, which is 20 more than what is anticipated when the new table games area in the temporary casino opens this summer.

Full Casino Resort – Construction will then begin on the 400-room hotel and the remainder of the casino complex, which will be stacked above the ground floor. The hotel tower will be a separate structure that is connected to the casino complex to maximize the patron experience.

The casino complex will feature three levels of parking (floors 2-4), an entire floor devoted to back-of-house operations and offices, and the main casino floor and restaurants on top.

At full buildout, the main casino complex will be about 2 million square feet and feature:

4,300 slots

100 table games

Five restaurants, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, marketplace buffet, café and grab-and-go outlet

A players lounge

Six bars, including a center bar and sports bar.

There is no estimate at this time of when the main casino complex and hotel will be completed. After the main casino complex opens, the Introductory Casino will become the smoking section of the casino.

Upon completion, the casino resort will employ an estimated 2,200 team members.

Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort is being developed by the Catawba Nation at a 17-acre site at 538 Kings Mountain Blvd. in Kings Mountain, N.C. The site is near I-85 Exit 5 and about 35 miles west of Charlotte.

A temporary “pre-launch” gaming facility features 1,000 gaming machines, including electronic table games, North Carolina’s closest sportsbook to Charlotte, and casual dining.

At full buildout, the casino resort project is expected to create thousands of construction and permanent jobs in the region.

The Two Kings name celebrates the Catawba Nation’s history and hopeful future in their ancestral lands in North Carolina, paying tribute to the 18th century Catawba Chief King Hagler and the city of Kings Mountain.

Carolinas Survey of Business Activity

Business activity in the Carolinas slowed in May, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The general business conditions index decreased from 14 in April to 1 in May, and the corresponding expectations index fell from 17 to 4.

The sales index edged down from 13 in April to 11 in May; its corresponding expectations index also declined slightly but remained firmly in positive territory.

The employment index decreased from 7 in April to 2 in May while the wages index also decreased slightly, and firms reported some improvement in their ability to find workers with the necessary skills.

Most firms expected wages to continue increasing over the near term and anticipated some improvement in their ability to find workers with the desired skills over the next six months.

Average year-over-year growth in prices paid increased slightly in May, while average growth in prices received decreased slightly.

Firms expected price growth to be relatively steady or moderate somewhat over the next year.

South Carolina Entrepreneurs Awarded $200,000 for Innovative Agribusinesses

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE) awarded $200,000 in grants to 12 local businesses as part of its Advanced Entrepreneurship program.

The finalists pitched to a panel of judges on May 15 and were scored based on their business plans, a five-minute video presentation, and their demonstrated history of business success.

In addition to funding, the awardees will also receive access to a network of business advisors, and professional assistance with further state and federal grant applications. 

The diverse group of awardees encompass animal agriculture, specialty food producers, produce farms, and new and established farmers:

Dragonfly Creek (Colleton County) is a diversified market farm in Walterboro growing seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruits, cut flowers, and chicken eggs. As it continues to grow, it plans to develop a weekly Community Supported Agriculture program for Walterboro-area residents. It plans to use ACRE funds to invest in wildlife fencing to protect its crops, and drill another well to expand irrigation.

Blue Ridge Rabbit Meat Co. is a family-run rabbit farm in Wellford (Spartanburg County) that raises and processes rabbits, shipping the high-quality meat to customers across the country. The company plans to use ACRE funding to add heating and cooling systems throughout its barn.

Crossroads Processing (Lexington County) was founded in Leesville in 2022 with a focus on deer processing, but quickly expanded into processing different kinds of meat, including livestock, to address gaps in the local market. The goals for the company are to increase direct-to-consumer processing, increase local meat processing infrastructure, and to shrink the gap between farmers and consumers. 

Lowcountry Fungi is an indoor farm on Johns Island (Charleston County) supplying culinary and medicinal mushrooms to restaurants and wholesale customers. The company recently launched a “mushroom coffee” that blends local coffee with fungi grown on the farm. With the ACRE grant, it plans to expand into another warehouse unit to expand production, and add a certified kitchen.

Farm in the Wildwood (Greenville County) uses eco-friendly, no-till, and regenerative agricultural methods to grow baby greens, herbs, and various vegetables for customers including restaurants in the Greenville area, CSA members, and a seasonal farmstand, as well as agritourism offerings. With the ACRE money, it intends to make facility improvements, improve marketing, and expand its product offerings.

Oswego Flowers (Sumter County) focuses on growing unusual cut flower varieties. The 2024 grant award will help it buy a larger greenhouse to extend the growing season of cut flowers to year-round production and start shifting into wholesale production of cut flowers.

The Pickled Pepper People (Greenville County) makes spicy slaw from fresh vegetables that are locally and sustainably sourced, using a traditional Haitian family recipe. This minority-owned business will use the ACRE grant money for equipment, marketing and social media, and shared kitchen expenses.

Bradford Farms (Sumter County) grows, processes, and markets its own heirloom crops which include collards, watermelons, okra, and sweet potatoes. It also acts as a micro-distributor providing South Carolina-grown produce to restaurants in NC, SC, and GA. Bradford Farms will use the grant money for mechanized wash stations, mechanical choppers, and cold storage with forklift access.

Growing Green Family Farms (Greenville County) supplies fresh produce to the Upstate region, using regenerative agricultural practices through compost and interplanting. It aims to expand its Good Agricultural Practices-certified packing shed and walk-in cooler, with which it can increase its own production and support other farmers in need of a food safety-certified space.

After taking over a pecan farm from their parents, the younger generation of Yon Family Farms quickly increased yield through improvements to irrigation and equipment. It operates a retail store in Ridge Spring (Saluda County) that sells pecans and pecan products while also supporting other local farms by selling local goods from producers across South Carolina. Yon will construct a new permanent freezer space to improve access and inventory management.

Heartworks Farm (Lexington County) is a specialty crop farm producing tomatoes, microgreens, cut flowers. It intends to build on a multi-functional packing and processing building with a dedicated processing area, cold storage, and a flexible space for educational workshops and farm events.

Hull and Husk (Beaufort County) uses locally sourced peanut shells, pecan shells, white oak, and coffee grounds to produce pellets for wood burning grills and animal feed. With the help of the ACRE grant, it intends to buy packaging equipment, an air purification system, and a drum dryer for materials used in pellet production.

“Every year, I’m so impressed by the creativity, drive and diversity of the entrepreneurs who compete as part of the ACRE Advanced Entrepreneurship program,” said ACRE Executive Director Kyle Player.  

ACRE was founded in 2018 to help identify and nurture new ideas and businesses in the Palmetto State’s agribusiness sector. 

ACRE also partners with Clemson Extension to offer a fall curriculum program to train and mentor beginning agricultural entrepreneurs and prepare them to seek advanced award funding.

To learn more, go to acre-sc.com.

Regional Management Corp. Raises Over $50,000 in Support of the American Heart Association Upstate Heart Walk

Regional Management Corp. (NYSE: RM), a diversified consumer finance company, said it raised $52,000 in support of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Upstate Heart Walk through its community outreach program, Regional Reach.

The company participated in the walk in April in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.

“Organizations like Regional Management have been instrumental in propelling our mission,” said Adelyn Nottingham, Director of the American Heart Association.

Nottingham added, “Thanks to their ongoing support, we can allocate resources effectively, making a lasting impact on the communities we serve in our mission to eliminate heart disease and stroke.”

Regional Management has established a five-year tradition of championing this cause, raising over $400,000 and solidifying its position as one of the AHA's leading financial supporters in South Carolina.

Additionally, showcasing remarkable unity, three of the Regional Management teams were in the top five fundraising teams for the 2024 Upstate Heart Walk.

Leading up to this year's walk, the Regional team engaged in a range of heart-healthy activities, aiming to raise awareness and promote heart health. Across the company, team members logged over 15,000 minutes in the Move More challenge, where team members tracked activity with the AHA’s app.

“Our aim is to build a stronger, more vibrant community for all, so seeing the team's dedication makes me incredibly proud of our commitment to creating this positive impact,” said Robert Beck, president and CEO of Regional Management. 

As part of its broader initiative, Regional Management champions engagement through its community outreach program, Regional Reach. The program enables the company to extend its support to various non-profit organizations, both nationally and locally.

Over the past several years, Regional Management has proudly contributed to a range of deserving causes, including Junior Achievement, Jumpstart – Financial Smarts for Students, Upstate Warrior Solutions, One Tree Planted, National Diversity Council, Girls Who Code, Harvest Hope, Meals on Wheels, Hope Center for Children and the AHA.

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