The Catawba Nation officially opened the introductory casino phase of the Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, North Carolina on Wednesday, May 20, drawing large crowds to a facility that represents the most significant expansion of tribal gaming in the Charlotte region in years. Located off Interstate 85 about 35 miles west of Charlotte, the new casino replaces a temporary facility that had operated since 2021 and upgrades the gaming experience considerably for players across the Carolinas.
The introductory casino, operating on the ground floor of a six-story permanent casino and parking structure, includes 1,350 slot machines, 36 electronic table games, 22 traditional table games, a 68-seat restaurant, an 18-seat bar, sports betting kiosks, and a player rewards desk. The current facility represents an upgrade from the temporary casino it replaced, with 250 additional slot machines and eight more table games. The project developer is Delaware North, a major hospitality and gaming operator.
Full Resort on the Way
Wednesday’s opening is phase two of a three-stage development. The temporary casino operated from 2021 through the May 20 transition; the introductory casino will serve players over the next year while construction continues on the upper floors; and the full casino resort is expected to open in spring 2027. When complete, Two Kings Casino Resort will be a 2-million-square-foot complex featuring 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games, a 24-story hotel with 385 rooms, 11 restaurants including a steakhouse and Italian restaurant, 11 bars, a marketplace with six venues, entertainment venues, and a retail area.
The scale of the full project makes it one of the most ambitious tribal gaming developments in the eastern United States. Ground was broken in June 2024, and the final beam was placed at a topping-off ceremony in October 2025, keeping the phased opening on track. Trent Troxel, vice president of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, confirmed the spring 2027 target for the full resort at Wednesday’s opening ceremony.
Market Context
The Two Kings Casino Resort opens at a time of growing gaming activity across the Carolinas. North Carolina legalized sports betting in recent years, adding a new dimension to the competitive entertainment landscape in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The Catawba property gives the region a significantly enhanced land-based gaming destination that complements the state’s legal online betting market and is expected to draw visitors from across North and South Carolina once the full resort opens.
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