The Catawba Nation is already looking beyond Kings Mountain, with tribal leaders saying they have identified two additional sites for future casino projects in North Carolina.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first phase of Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort, Catawba Chief Brian Harris made clear that the Kings Mountain property is not intended to be the tribe's only casino development in the state.
"We got two more casinos to build in this state, and hot dammit we're going to build them," Harris said to a crowd of roughly 500 tribal members, elected officials, and guests gathered for the event.
The Catawba Nation has already chosen both locations for the future casino projects, though Harris said the communities involved are not yet ready to be publicly named. "It's all about negotiations," he said. "We've identified the locations. We're in preliminary negotiations right now. And once those come to fruition, when we come to deal, we'll make an announcement."
The announcement gives the Kings Mountain opening a broader significance for the Catawba Nation. Rather than treating Catawba Two Kings as a standalone resort, tribal leaders are positioning it as the first piece of a wider gaming strategy in North Carolina.
The newly opened introductory casino includes 1,350 slot machines, 36 electronic table games, 22 traditional table games, a restaurant, bar, sports betting kiosks and a rewards desk. The full resort is expected to open in spring 2027 and will include 4,300 slot machines, 100 live table games, 11 tribal-operated restaurants, 11 bars and a 24-story hotel.
The Catawba push comes as another North Carolina tribe has moved in the opposite direction. Lumbee voters recently rejected a proposed change to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina constitution, blocking a path that could have opened the door to future gaming projects and a possible casino resort in Robeson County.
The vote followed months of debate inside the tribe over whether gaming should become part of its economic development strategy after federal recognition was secured in 2025. Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery said he would respect the outcome and would not bring the issue back during the final 18 months of his term.
"Tonight, a majority of the Lumbee people have spoken, and they have said no to progress and have decided to stay with the status quo or simply staying with the way things are," Lowery wrote after the vote.
The Robeson County casino proposal had divided Lumbee members, with supporters pointing to a 241-acre property as a possible site for Lumbee Dark Water Resort. However, opponents raised concerns about governance, oversight and how much authority the proposed constitutional amendment would give tribal leadership.
The vote now leaves the future of the Robeson County land unclear, though tribal leaders have said it could still be developed as a business or industrial park.
The two developments highlight a split moment for tribal gaming in North Carolina. In Kings Mountain, the Catawba Nation is cutting the ribbon on the first phase of a major casino resort and openly discussing additional projects. In Robeson County, Lumbee voters have rejected a constitutional change that could have moved their tribe toward a casino strategy of its own.
