Toy drive at Catawba Two Kings Casino will deliver hope this Christmas
This holiday season, the Catawba Two Kings Casino is giving back to both York County, SC, where the Catawbas are based, and Cleveland County, N.C., where the casino is located.
Since the inception of the casino, Catawba leaders and officials at the casino have talked about connecting with the surrounding community and giving back. A toy drive at the casino, initiated by Player’s Club manager Jennifer Elberson, was a way to gather gifts for Marine Toys for Tots.
Toys for Tots is a nationwide drive by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, which runs several regional campaigns in the Carolinas.
Employees and patrons were encouraged to donate toys to the nonprofit, which has a motto of “delivering hope to less fortunate children.”
By the end of the toy drive, employees were loading nine gigantic boxes of toys.
To top it off, the casino’s consulting firm, Deleware North, added $4,500 worth of toys, including shiny new bicycles, skateboards and helmets.
“Delaware North has supported the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign at a number of the casinos we operate across the country, so we were excited to be able to join the Catawba Two Kings Casino employees and the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority in providing toys for children here in Cleveland and York counties,” said Chuck Kilroy, lead consultant for Delaware North.
Catawba Two Kings Casino
The Catawba Two Kings Casino opened in Kings Mountain on July 1. It sits on a 17-acre parcel that now is part of the Catawba reservation.
On opening day, Chief Bill Harris said the casino project was a symbol of the Catawbas reuniting with the people of North Carolina. The Catawbas fought “side by side” with American soldiers in the 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain (part of the Revolutionary War). Working with the people of Kings Mountain and Cleveland County would allow the Catawbas to join with the community again.
The casino’s charitable efforts in both the Catawba’s home of York County and in Cleveland County shows that the tribe will stay connected to both places.
The casino project has been predicted to provide a huge financial boost for the Catawba Nation. It’s projected to generate $72 million in revenue in its first year, and $150 million by its fifth year, and has had steady traffic since opening day.
The pre-launch facility opened an expansion Wednesday and now offers 1,000 machines.
The site will eventually be home to a $273 million permanent casino and resort, officials say.
