Catawba Nation Opens First Phase of $1.25B Two Kings Casino Resort
The Catawba Nation opened the first major phase of its $1.25 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, on Wednesday. Hundreds of visitors arrived before the 10 a.m. launch, some in line as early as 8:40 a.m. The project replaces a temporary casino that has operated on the same site since July 2021.
Located off Interstate 85 Exit 5, about 35 miles west of Charlotte, the new introductory casino has 1,350 slot machines, 36 electronic table games, 22 traditional table games, sports betting kiosks, a 68-seat restaurant, and an 18-seat bar. The property adds 250 slot machines and eight table games over the previous temporary operation.
The broader resort remains under construction. Trent Troxel, vice president of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, confirmed a spring 2027 completion target for the full complex. Plans call for a 24-story, 385-room hotel, approximately 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games, 11 restaurants, 11 bars, a player lounge, and 3,500 parking spaces across underground and ground-level areas. The completed property will span approximately 2 million square feet.
Construction started after a June 2024 groundbreaking, with the final beam placed on October 27, 2025. Troxel said the resort will employ about 2,200 workers from the local community and the Catawba Nation.
The casino floor features bilingual signage in English and the Catawba language, with cultural branding that includes a tribute to Chief David Adam “Toad” Harris near a restaurant and sports bar named in his honor. Troxel confirmed the venue operates around the clock.
The Catawba Nation Foundation will continue to operate alongside the expanded casino. The foundation collects unused ticket balances from customers and distributes the funds to regional charities. After an $800,000 distribution two years ago, officials said the foundation plans to give $5 million this year.
💡TGJ Take
The opening matters less for the slot count and more because it confirms the Catawba Nation’s shift from a temporary site to a full-scale regional destination. For Southeast operators, this adds a well-funded competitor for Charlotte-area traffic with no direct commercial casino nearby to absorb the pressure. Suppliers should note that a 4,300-slot property that rolls out in phases creates sustained procurement windows across gaming systems, table products, F&B, and loyalty infrastructure through 2027. Tribal gaming in the US continues to produce some of the largest active development pipelines outside Las Vegas.
