By ANN TOINEETA
One Feather Intern
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Planning Board met at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 18 in the Tribal Council House.
David McCoy, vice chair of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise and chair of the Tribal Bingo Enterprise, provided updates on the construction of the new class 2 gaming site in Elawodi (Yellow Hill). Tribal Construction has begun clearing trees for Duke Energy’s preplanned utilities upgrade project, and once they are done, new power poles and lines will be constructed and current ones will be demolished. The slope of the mountain behind the site will also be graded to increase safety. Once these processes are completed, construction will begin. They hope to open the facility in June 2027 and the age limit will be 18.
T.W. Saunooke, interim director for construction management at Qualla Housing, said that they are finalizing plans for Whitetree Court in Aniwodihi (Painttown). They are close to having grading plans and preparing for groundwork. The price of the low to medium income rental properties will be income based.
At Hyatt Cemetery in Whittier, N.C. they are preparing to move forward with contracting for the infrastructure and site work. Construction and planning documents, driveway and encroachment permits, and utility construction and grading plans have all been approved. The environmental assessment is under review and should be returned within 30 days. They are looking to start the process within the next 30 to 45 days.
The environmental assessment for Cooper’s Creek, which is near Bryson City, N.C., will be submitted by the end of the week and they will soon begin the hydraulic analysis. Construction documents for the first phase are expected to be completed by July and the bid process will begin after they are completed.
Rebecca Bowe, manager of EBCI project management, provided updates for multiple projects with the first one being that there is a punch walk scheduled for Fire Substation 3 in Kolanvyi (Big Cove) on Wednesday, May 20. Construction is expected to be completed June 5.
The new CIPD Evidence Building below the Anthony Edward Lossiah Justice Center is making good progress on construction and is expected to be completed in September. Interior framing is complete and they’ve begun hanging drywall and painting. Electrical and mechanical rough-ins are also ongoing.
At the cultural grounds in Elawodi, site utilities and grade and fill activities are ongoing. Concerns about runoff toward the museum have also been addressed.
Signage at the Nvdayeli Trail, which is near the Museum of the Cherokee People, is being finalized and naming with the Speaker Council and CHA has been approved. There will be two or three items as well as updated signage at the Drama directing people to the trail. They hope to construct a set of stairs from the museum parking lot to the trail to create safer access and interconnect the museum with the cultural items on the hill.
The sewer project and grading at the John Crowe Sports Complex in Whittier are ongoing and logging is near completion. They are looking at repairing the 4 existing fields and potentially adding 2 more. They also hope to provide access to the lower fields.
For the new restroom at the Oconaluftee Indian Village in Elawodi, they are evaluating bids and the scope of the project. Utility construction is expected to be completed at the end of the 2026 season with water and sewer improvements. They are also considering adding a retail space next to the restroom.
The design for the project at the old high school site in Elawodi is 95 percent complete. The archaeological survey will start after the completion of the Boundary Tree Sewer effort. For phase 2 of the project, they’ve applied for a grant for a multi-use facility, which they should hear back about in August or September. Planning will begin in FY2027 and a preplanning meeting with NCDOT will take place this week.
The Junaluska Memorial Site, in Robbinsville, N.C., is 60 percent complete with a new design and the bid for construction will begin in July.
The Family Enrichment Center design is 60 percent complete and construction documents are expected to be ready in June. It will go out for construction bid in July. The center will be located near the Cherokee Indian Hospital.
The infill design for the Cherokee Fitness Center pool in Elawodi is also 60 percent complete. They are reviewing the submittal and cost estimate.
The schematic design and design development for the Veterans’ Cemetery in Wayohi (Wolftown) are complete. Construction documents will be submitted June 6 and it will go out for construction bidding in July. Drainage concerns have been addressed with the design. They are working with Frontier and Balsam West to install underground cables.
The collection facility’s schematic design, planning, and programming are complete. They plan to move into design development in June and the RFQ for Construction Manager at Risk is due June 2. The work session scheduled for June 3 at 1 p.m. will allow them to give updates to the community on the progress of the project.
Sean Ross, Secretary of Commerce, discussed plans for the new mural, which was recently unveiled in the downtown area. The current mural is meant to be a placeholder until they can find local artists to incorporate their own designs. They are in the process of looking at more sites and have found potential with two more sites in town.
