Governor: Tribe Must Pay for Table Games 

Governor: Tribe Must Pay for Table Games

CHEROKEE, North Carolina – As reported by the Asheville Citizen-Times: "The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians must offer the right amount of money before winning permission to have card dealers at Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Gov. Mike Easley said in an interview. "Teams from the Eastern Band and governor's office have been meeting monthly since April over the possibility of changing the 2000 gaming compact with North Carolina. The tribe wants card dealers for games such as poker and blackjack. "In documents sent to Easley, the Eastern Band has said Western North Carolina could see 430 new jobs with a payroll of $15.2 million if the state allows live poker, craps, blackjack and other new games. "…Since the video gambling machine operation opened in 1997, the 13,000-member tribe has created a business that brings in an estimated profit of $155 million annually. "…The tribe's five-year-old gambling agreement with North Carolina requires the Eastern Band to spend $5 million in gambling revenue each year to fund a foundation that pays for projects that promote non-gambling economic development, protect the environment and preserve Cherokee heritage and culture. "Beyond the foundation, the tribe is not required to pay a fee for gaming rights. "…Some tribes pay for the right to have live card dealers, said Shawn Pensoneau of the Washington D.C.-based National Indian Gaming Commission, which regulates gambling on Indian reservation…"