Gambling moves closer to Atlanta with casino in Murphy, N.C.

“The tagline for Murphy is that it’s a couple of hours from everywhere,” said Lumpy Lambert, assistant general manager of casino operations at Harrah’s Cherokee, who will serve as general manager of Valley River.

The location also puts Valley River within a two-hour range of Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tenn., cities that already export gamblers to Cherokee. According to research, Cherokee attracts about 80 percent of its business from large outer markets such as Charlotte and Atlanta.

Lambert added that it’s inevitable that some cannibalization will occur between the two properties.

“Some (gamblers) who currently come to Cherokee might choose to go to Murphy instead. But we still have excess demand in Cherokee from a room inventory standpoint, so we should be able to supply more guests (in Murphy).”

The $110 million complex in Murphy, like Harrah’s Cherokee, is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribal Council and managed and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp., the parent company of Harrah’s.

Although Valley River will operate in a much smaller footprint than the Las Vegas-like resort that Harrah’s Cherokee morphed into by the time a $633 million expansion project wrapped last year, it will provide plenty of the amenities that gamblers have come to expect.

Lambert likens the size of the new property, which broke ground in October 2013, to Harrah’s Cherokee when it opened in 1997.

The 60,000-square-foot casino will offer 1,050 slot machines and 70 live table games including craps, roulette and blackjack. (Comparatively, Harrah’s Cherokee has 4,100 slots and more than 100 table games.)

Because of the size of the facility, a poker room isn’t feasible, but Lambert said the inclusion of electronic poker games is a possibility. And for the slot fans, inventory will be comprised of Class III machines, the standard in gambling meccas such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

A 301-room, seven-story hotel will open shortly after the casino ribbon-cutting, an advantage that Lambert, who has been with Harrah’s Cherokee since its opening, reminds is a luxury that Harrah’s Cherokee didn’t have. (That property currently boasts more than 1,100 rooms in three towers, all added years after the casino opened.)

Something else that was eased into Harrah’s Cherokee but will be available from opening day at Valley River: the ability to purchase alcohol on site.

The primary food options at Valley River will initially come from a 24-hour food court, which will include five vendors, according to Lambert, and cover the usual array of options: burgers, pizza, salads, deli and coffee shop fare among them.

Right now, there are no plans for a buffet, but an “a la carte” restaurant is under consideration once the casino settles into operation.

For higher-level gamblers who possess the Harrah’s brand Diamond or Seven Stars loyalty card, there will be a coveted “Diamond Lounge” on site, but it might be a bit simpler than some of its counterparts.

“We want to make it as comfortable as possible, but not too extravagant,” Lambert said. “The philosophy has shifted back to a lounge mentality rather than making it more like a restaurant. Now you’re seeing more of the Harrah’s brand of properties saying, let’s provide an area to refresh, grab a drink and a snack rather than a meal.”

Given that Valley River will be set on about 90 acres of land (Cherokee has about 56), there is room for expansion for both the casino and hotel.

In the meantime, Lambert will work with other hotels in Murphy to handle overflow guests with special rates or comps, much as Harrah’s Cherokee does now with nearby off-site properties such as the Quality Inn.

And if you’re traveling to the casino with a non-gambling companion, Lambert wants newcomers to the Murphy area to know that the picturesque area in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is home to several golf courses within a 15-mile radius, as well as lakes for boating and water activities and trails for bike riding.

Through the process of getting Valley River set up, Lambert and his colleagues continue to model their progress on the already-established casino nearby.

“We’re trying to look at learning from Harrah’s Cherokee,” Lambert said, “and come out of the gate at Valley River.”