North Carolina Cherokee Casinos Implementing Indoor Smoking Safeguards
Posted on: December 9, 2021, 04:50h.
Last updated on: December 9, 2021, 06:07h.
North Carolina’s two Cherokee casinos — Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy — will soon welcome back smokers.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) Tribal Council today voted in favor of an ordinance that only permits indoor casino smoking in specially designed enclosed areas. The smoking containments must prevent any flow of smoke and vapor onto the common gaming floor, where smoking will be prohibited.
The Cherokee casinos previously allowed indoor smoking in designated areas. But those areas were not completely partitioned off from the supposedly smoke-free sections.
Macau, the world’s richest casino market, has long utilized such standalone smoking structures inside their casinos. The highly technical configurations continually push contaminated air outside while circulating in fresh air.
Pandemic Testing Ground
The Cherokee casinos did not need to abide by any state order regarding their operations during COVID-19, as the gaming resorts are on tribal sovereign land. But EBCI leaders nonetheless voluntarily suspended indoor smoking in the spring of 2020 because of the coronavirus.
Despite tobacco use being halted, tribal officials reported that gaming revenue numbers have not been negatively impacted.
We made a lot of money without cigarettes, pipes, and cigars being lit up in our casino,” said EBCI Councilmember Teresa McCoy.
McCoy added that numerous casino workers have thanked the tribal council for the pandemic-related smoking ban. Cherokee Principal Chief Richard Sneed, a self-described gambler, says he’s enjoyed visiting the casinos without the smoke.
However, Brooks Robinson, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Cherokee, said there’s a considerable number of guests who have voiced frustration about not being able to light up while gambling. It’s why the GM of the tribe’s flagship casino supported building separate fully enclosed gaming sections where smoking will be permitted.
Indoor casino smoking will remain off-limits until such structures are built. The tribe did not provide specifics on their size, nor a timetable for when they might be completed.
The tribe says the smoking sections will be staffed only by those employees who are willing to work in the environment.
Tribal Benefits
Cherokee legislative leaders say limiting casino smoking to small enclosed areas will benefit the tribe in a variety of means when it comes to its resort operations. Lavita Hill, who authored the casino smoking amendment, says smoke-free casinos are more attractive to potential employees.
Hill adds that health insurance premiums could be reduced, and workers will likely use fewer sick days as a result of being employed in a smoke-free business. Each casino’s fire and liability insurance costs might also be cut, she opines. And that’s not all.
“Cleaning and maintenance costs go down. Immediately, our Cherokee people will become healthier,” she declared.
The two casinos recently conducted a guest survey regarding smoking. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they would be “likely to visit more” if the main casino floors were fully free of tobacco smoke. Eighteen percent said they would visit less, and the remaining 28 percent said they were indifferent.
Tribal casinos are part of the national trend of casinos going smoke-free. The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights reports that there are currently 1,038 casinos in the US that are 100 percent smoke-free.
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Last Comments ( 15 )
I just found out that a smoking area is being built inside. Glad to hear this, I will be returning very soon. I just hope it is open when I come. I use a rollater to help get around & it will be hard to stop playing & go outside. I do respect non-smokers rights. Cherokee went overboard to keep building & adding on to the non-smoking players area. Smokers deserve the same rights.
I'm NOT paying money for a hotel room to be HELD HOSTAGE in not being able to smoke. That is *NO* vacation!!! I love playing 21 for hours on end, but if you think I'm coming to your casino to play 21 when I can't smoke, better think again! If you want to keep losing money in your hotel and casino(s), keep banning cigarette smoking. There's plenty of other hotels/casinos who are happy to give me the freedom to be me, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M GIVING THEM *** MY *** MONEY!
I will not be going to Cherokee, as long as long as they ban smoking!! I have been going there since it was a little tin building,, I would have been there a lot after Covid, but I will go elsewhere, where you can smoke and drink..
Bad enough it's the only casino without free drinks, now we cants smoke, and most of the restaurants don't even accrue rewards.. so why even eat there. Be like every single other Caesars casino. Smfh
I have come to Harrah’s Cherokee every 7 to 10 months from Kansas City for approximately 10 years. Lately, my time spent gambling has decreased by 80% because of the smoking ban. I will be returning in a couple of weeks and have been disappointed to learn that I am still not welcome in any indoor space. I will be required to leave the entire facility and stand in the cold to smoke. Policy is extremely discriminatory. This will be my last visit. I do not believe the data that is reported here. The only way that it could be accurate is if it was collected from a sampling of local patrons. Any one who must travel to get there can go to environments around the globe and be welcomed. Ciao
We are headed for Cherokee for 2 days.... I just found it is smoke free... And you have to go outside and smoke ...no benches or anything. I respect the rights of non smokers but they should have just built a wall...to section off a smoking area....which they are planning to do....but at least should have waited until they did.... So yes you can get a smoking room, but us smokers do not want to leave our seats at a game to go smoke... I will spend some much less money because of this.... Why would you build a casino with smoking areas that did not completely section off the smokers? That makes no sense to meat all. And let only those employees it does not bother work those rooms.
The only reason I will go is due to indoor smoking ban. I am in Georgia. I enjoy this scene but I haven’t been back to any casino in over 10 years. Specifically because I cannot Tolerate all of that nasty smelling smoke. I get headaches and nausea.
I was looking forward to visiting Harrah’s casino in Murphy, not so much now that I know it is smoke free. Back to Hard Rock in Tampa for me where they comp me rooms, food and entertainment and allow their customers to smoke. I can check this one off my list.
We just moved to SC and made a trip to gamble at Cherokee not knowing it was non smoking we will NOT ever go back!
Need smoking areas I realize non smokers have rights, however so do smokers. Smokers have been banned everywhere. Yes it is bad for me but so is drinking. I can smoke all night and still drive. I just started back gambling which I would have gambled all night in the past but with the non smoking rule it did take away from my experience. As a true gambler on slots I do not like to leave my slot but when the urge hits it’s time to go. I got so aggravated having to go outside I decided to just go home. Thank you for your time
Please keep Cherokee Casino non-smoking for the health of your customers and employees. Second hand smoke is just as dangerous as actually smoking. Health and safety should be your priority.
I think they should have non-smoking areas. I don't smoke and if I'm in a smoking area I don't like smoke blowed in my face. I respect smokers but I expect them to do they same if I play on their area..
First of all, there are not 1038 commercial casinos in the us and most of the casinos in las vegas don't care of you smoke or not, Mississippi is the same. I can't speak for the other states because I haven't been there. North Carolina needs to be more concerned about their smokers comfort outside the building ( after all, they are some of your best customers), they need more seating area and more heaters.
We will definitely come back to Cherokee if we are allowed to smoke. It's a lot closer than driving to the Hard Rock in Tampa
Stop are the smoking in casinos