Construction crews work on mass grading the site of the new Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel on Wednesday, June 11. (SALLY DAVIS/One Feather)
By ROBERT JUMPER
ONE FEATHER EDITOR
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel is moving forward and all is on track and on budget, according to Lumpy Lambert, general manager of the facility.
According to Lambert, Cherokee Enterprises is on the verge of completing the mass grading. The mass grading shapes the property into the proper dimensions to begin other, more advanced, land development.
Whiting Turner Contracting Company/Owle Contractor LCC have been preparing and are set to continue the work into the next phase of foundation work.
As part of the ongoing preparations for staffing Cherokee Valley River Casino, Harrah’s held pre-employment discussions at Tri County Community College in Murphy recently, and 500 people participated in that opportunity.
Lambert stated that state and local entities are also in motion, preparing access roads, bridge building and utilities construction in relation to the Valley River project. He says that there is “optimism and excitement” with regard to the community’s reaction to all of the action. In addition to the anticipated 800 to 900 jobs that Valley River will bring at opening with an anticipated $32 to $39 million in payroll, Lambert says that 500 jobs have been and will be created due to construction needs.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel, a 108,000 square foot gaming facility, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2015. 
