When the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (ECBI) opened the casino in 1997, games of chance were front and center. The same is somewhat true for the resort’s gaming floor. Whereas the Vegas Strip glows in the Nevada desert like a kitschy bonfire, Jackson County’s gambling mecca materializes out of nowhere, its earth-toned concrete and shiny glass reflecting the colors of the rugged hills hiding it. Highway 19, north from the Blue Ridge Parkway, southwest from Nantahala National Forest - Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort sneaks up on you.
No matter how you approach it - east from Asheville on U.S.
