We are sitting on a mountaintop in Tennessee......here to get in a quick visit before daughter goes to Middle East. Lovely here, and one day Toby and I drove through Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park into Cherokee, NC, and the home of Harrahs Cherokee.
We arrived at around noon, and the closest self parking to the casino was about 1/2 mile away, so we decided on Valet parking. It was $6.00. With my Platinum card, it was $3.00. Valet attendant was from AZ, so filled us in on gambling. She said there were no table games, but we did see a pit, and people playing inside. Didn't check out what particular games. DDBVP had the best paytable of 9-5. There were no penny machines, but lots of nickel slots with many lines to bet. Lots of progressive machines, and different than we see at home.We had lunch at the buffet, using points, and it was about $21 for the two of us. The best part of the buffet were a few Southern specialties. The BBQ was good. My favorite item in the whole buffet was/were fried green beans. Not wonderful for the diet, but delicious!
I got lost coming out of the restroom, and Toby had to find an employee to find me. (Those of you that know me, are not surprised that I got lost) It seems there were entrances on two sides into different casino areas, and I hadn't paid any attention on the way in so..............
A hostess at the Slot Club told us they were doing a 650 million dollar addition. A new tower to the hotel, a few new restaurants and some more casino space. Oh, and a parking garage, which they definitely need.
We played for another hour after lunch, and luck was not running. Toby got one 4oak, but not me. There was beverage service at booths along the walls......help yourself, and I did see a drink waitress but don't know if they were serving alchohol.
When we left, the $6 parking had been increased to $8 parking.
The casino was nice, but I think it was making more money for the owners than for the patrons.

As one of those owners/stockholders, I thank you.

Do they have any competition in the area? The parking fees and buffet price (with Platinum card) sound like they have a monopoly, but the 9-5 paytable on DDB is the same as Reno and Tahoe and much better than Las Vegas.

I wish they had those self-service beverage booths in all their casinos! I loved the one in New Orleans where I could fill up the cup with lots of diet coke and a little bit of ice - the reverse of most drinks served by cocktail waitresses<g>.

My daughter lives in Georgia, about three hours from Cherokee and I've been there about 4-5 times. Sorry to say I've never had any luck there at all, but being a low roller I mostly stick to the quarter video poker. Their blackjack tables are video with live attendants. My daughter plays that and she's gotten some offers for free rooms and buffets. I don't know of any other casinos in the area at all, so they do have a monopoly. The valet charge used to be $5, but last time I was there in April, it was $8. I use the valet every time I go because I can't walk from the parking area, although they have a shuttle from it to the casino. I also usually stay at a motel near the place, since up until lately it was almost impossible to get a room there. The slots aren't the loosest I've ever seen. There are no real table games. But, its the best that particular area of North Carolina and Georgia has to offer, so its well attended.

Tater - Thanks for this TR! Is this place anywhere near Dollywood? I've always wanted to visit Dollywood!

Best wishes to your daughter heading overseas!

Thanks for teh report Tater.

I was there proably 10+ years ago and the casino was in a strip shopping center.

Mike,

You can go to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, then Gatlinburg, then cross the mountain to Cherokee.

Daisy, I agree........I like that help yourself drink bar too. Pepper, there were a lot of people there, on a Tuesday, after Memorial Day, and we didn't see any parking lot shuttles......that would have been a very long walk. It is a monopoly........no other casinos within close driving range.......Florida or New Jersey may be closest. Mike, it's very near Dollywood........about an hour and a half away. We took the grandkids and had a great time. Dollywood is much bigger than I expected, and having not been to that area for 30 years, has given rise to much tourist development and attractions as well as employment for those in surrounding towns. The scenery is very beautiful, and it is the black bear capitol of the Eastern U.S. Real Estate is reasonable and log cabins abound. Of course, otner than the tourist trade, there wasn't much to make a living at. (We didn't see any real bears, just lots of chain saw carvings.)
One really nice thing that I forgot to mention was that Harrah's Cherokee also had a great valet parking retrieval system. There was a machine inside where you swiped your parking ticket, and they had your car there when you got outside......or on it's way. Very nice.....Las Vegas could take a lesson from that one.

Peppermill in Reno also uses that valet system, but I'd rather see Las Vegas take a lesson from the EL Dorado valet. You still turn in your ticket the old-fashioned way there, but you do it inside a "valet lounge" with nice sofas, armchairs, heating, A/C ... a comfortable wait at any time of year! I think Lee was more impressed with this valet set-up than anything else he saw in Reno<g>.

That DOES sound nice...........and your TR re: Reno was also good.........haven't been to Reno in a couple of years, and haven't been downtown in about 15 years......have to do it again! (Last time in Reno to pick up our rescue pup, and I never got out of the motor home---now that was an inexpensive trip, and the dog doesn't eat much either)

Tater,
Thanks for the trip report....I didn't even know there was a casino in Cherokee, NC! LOL
When we travel, we always check out the local casino scene (if there is any), but I was kinda suprised at you two, after all, you live in the heartland of casino country! LOL

Busmans holiday?????

We also always check out the casinos.......we are proud members of the slot club at Chinook Winds in Oregon, some crazy named one that I cannot remember in Washington, plus some in Iowa. Yuma has a couple. We did pass the ones on the UP of Michigan..Minnesota, I'm sorry to say, but as mentioned before, checked out and had wallet stolen in San Juan. Our very favorite non Las Vegas Casino is Cactus Pete's, in Jackpot, NV!

OK...I'll bite......What makes Cactus Pete's your favorite?

Oh, no bite necessary. It's just out in the middle of nowhere,surrounded by it's own golf course, and tiny airstrip. The older rooms are very plush......not new fancy, but plush and comfortable, people are lovely, everyone is very proud of their flagship casino (they have another across the highway....The Horseshoe), we win almost as often as we lose, and we like the RV park, too.........for no special reason. There are about three other LITTLE casinos in town (five casinos, gas station, two RV parks, fire dept, and trailer park) and two casinos have shuttle buses that will take you to ANY of the casinos. It's just comfortable, home-y, and when we lived in Idaho, it was the closest game around, and had the best entertainment. They also have a tiny restaurant......and a huge coffee shop and buffet, but the little restaurant seats about 14 people and has FANTASTIC food and service.
Ok, enough..........we're off to Toronto.....wish we had time and transportation to try out Kestral's casinos in Niagra Falls!

Don't know how long you're in Toronto, but I do see a lot of day trip buses going down to both the casino on the Canadian and the US side.

Oh - this was posted on June 7, maybe you've already come and gone from Toronto?

Hi Kes,
We were home the day you posted, and never had time to get to Niagra Falls, but lots of the conference attendees had driven up that way, and they all had sad gambling tales to tell.
I took sweaters and a jacket, and when we got there they were having a heat wave. Everyone in shorts, etc.........temps in the 80s.....I was still chilly after our nice warm summer. I thought Toronto was a very interesting city. Oh, there was a casino and dog racing track there, too......I saw it in one of the local attraction books in the hotel room. Didn't get there, either.