Leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) break ground on The Boundary Bingo & Slots Class II gaming establishment in Elawodi (Yellowhill) in Cherokee, N.C. on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 24. The 35,000 square foot building, a project of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise (TCGE) and Tribal Bingo Enterprise (TBE), will offer bingo, Class II gaming machines, and a concession area and is set to open in summer 2027. Shown, left to right, are Tutiyi/Tsalagi Gadugi (Snowbird/Cherokee Co.) Rep. Michael Smoker, Dinilawigi Taline Gahvsgi (Tribal Council Vice Chairman) David Wolfe, Tutiyi/Tsalagi Gadugi Rep. Adam Wachacha, Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) Rep. Boyd Owle, Dinilawigi Gahvsgi (Tribal Council Chairman) Jim Owle, Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks, Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Michael Stamper, Kolanvyi (Big Cove) Rep. Lavita Hill, Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Shannon Swimmer, Elawodi (Yellowhill) Rep. Shennelle Feather, and EBCI Tribal Elder Annie Owens. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The bingo operation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) closed in 2020 due to COVID-19, and it never reopened. Now, a new facility is being constructed on Tsali Blvd. on a piece of property that has previously been a movie theater and was most recently a home furnishing store.
Leaders of the EBCI broke ground on The Boundary Bingo & Slots Class II gaming establishment in Elawodi (Yellowhill) in Cherokee, N.C. on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 24. The 35,000 square foot building, a project of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise (TCGE) and Tribal Bingo Enterprise (TBE), will offer bingo, Class II gaming machines, and a concession area and is set to open in summer 2027.
Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks speaks during Tuesday’s groundbreaking event.
Tommy Lambert, TCGE chairperson, commented, “This is really an important project. We closed our bingo project down back in 2020 during COVID and haven’t had any bingo since then. This project is unique, too…this will be the third project that TCG has been over that’s been a ground-up project.”
Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks said he is very excited about this project. “There’s been many, many folks that are interested in getting our bingo going. We’ve been trying to do monthly, quarterly bingos to kind of get us up to when we get this thing open, so the sooner the better.”
He added, “I just appreciate all the contractors (Dale Partners, architects; Rabren, general contractor) who are stepping up and helping to make this project move, hopefully under budget and on time.
As we think about our community and what we’re responsible for as tribal leaders, we also have that same expectation from folks that contract with the Tribe. Get to know the community. Get to understand some of the things that we’re looking for.”
Ugvwiyuhi Hicks commented, “We have a lot of things that are moving right now and none of us can do it alone. We have to work together and we have to make sure that the fiscal aspect of these projects align. And also that the ideas and initiatives are properly planned out. That’s how we get things done.”
Jimmy Peavy, project manager, said 60 percent of the building will be gaming space broken up between Class II gaming machines and the bingo hall. He said they will be able to fit approximately 500 people per game on the bingo and 250 to 300 on the Class II machines. “We know that this is more than what we had previously at the old bingo place.”
This photo shows an overview of the property where the new building will be located.
