Editor’s Note: Over the past 10-12 years the Catawba Casino has been the subject of hundreds, maybe thousands of news reports. From Robert A’s CGG, Foothills News Channel, Shelby Action News, Cleveland County News, The Shelby Star, The Charlotte Observer, The Raleigh News and Observer, various area TV News, The Daily Haymaker, and other media, as well as the Catawba Indian’s own website News Releases–have issued “tons” of news reports regarding the future Catawba Casino located near Kings Mountain. In particular, the Foothills News Channel website ), Under “Series” has provided probably the best sets of easily retrievable documentation on the Catawba Casino (and various other Cleveland County Scandals) for all to see. Check it out as soon as you read this article.
Folks, presently, the Catawba Indian Casino master plan is in limbo. The Federal Government’s Bureau of Indian Affairs has refused to grant the necessary final approval to move forward with this project. And for one good reason. The Catawbas, in trying to move this project forward, have made too many foolish agreements with too many shady characters to suit the Feds. Federal Law requires the granting of Indian-owned Casino Project permits to mostly benefit the Indians and not the shysters in Las Vegas, Greeneville, SC, Kings Mountain, Shelby, and elsewhere.
In particular:
- Skyboat Gaming, based in Greeneville, SC with close ties to gambling in Las Vegas, NV, and elsewhere
- The Kings Mountain Equipment Supply Company in KM, NC. The ones who paid off former CC Commissioner Eddie Holbrook and former CC County Manager David Dear with stock that would pay them both about a Million$ each on a yearly basis when the Casino was in full operation.
- The Cleveland County Commissioners, operating out of Shelby, NC even cut illegal deals. All were reviewed and signed by Commissioner Johnny Hutchins, which would obligate the Catawba Indians to pay inflated prices for numerous services in lieu of Property Taxes, which, by Federal Law, could not have been legally collected on Indian tribally-owned property.
Perhaps the most egregious actions of all was the Cleveland County Commissioner’s deceit and deceptions in their falsely and illegally concocted “Services Contract” with the Catawbas. A contract for such services as Police Protection, Water, Sewer, garbage collection, and just about everything else that could be conjured up as something the Catawbas would be obligated to pay for as a fee instead of a tax. Justifying the CC Commissioner’s support. All the while supporting the Casino without ever seeking a Referendum of the citizens of Cleveland County to determine the will of the people and taxpayers in Cleveland County regarding CC’s very necessary support for the Catawba Casino Project.
“Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” was ALWAYS the hue and cry of the Commissioners. When cash Payoff to themselves (David Dear and Eddie Holbrook) and who knows who else were in on the payoffs. And what about the other Commissioners and certain other staff members? Were they all too “stuck on stupid” to not know what was going on all around them?? All the while, and for all those years citizens flocked to the Commissioner Meetings with facts and figures that clearly described the HUGE negative effects Casino’s and gambling itself had on large segments of the general population surrounding a Casino. The Commissioners would sit there blank-faced and unresponsive to all those many that dared to speak up. Somehow the Cleveland County Commissioners knew that they would NOT be prosecuted for any crimes and unethical acts that they were committing. Only Commissioner Eddie Holbrook, after spending $68,000 on his 2018 re-election Campaign, was voted out of office. Destroying the CC Democrat Party in the 2018 and following election processes. But the other Commissioners kept Holbrook’s pet project afloat (the ALWS) with large cash payments every year with taxpayer funding. Around $10 Million$ over the years. Perhaps, if only to keep Eddie Holbrook from turning State’s evidence against them?
Now, Fast forward to October, 2023.
The Catawba Indian Tribe, based near Rock Hill, South Carolina, have elected a new Chief, Brian Harris (no known close relationship to the previous Chief, Bill Harris) and other Tribal Leaders who want to rid themselves of the money sucking “entities” that caused the Federal Indian Affairs folks to refuse to approve the Catawba Casino permit, license or whatever the approval documents are called, in the first place. Reports say that the first to go was the Kings Mountain Equipment Company. Robert A supposes that it is “crocodile tear” times for Eddie Holbrook and David Dear on that account.
No word is out to the public (yet) on the money sucking service contract the Catawbas signed with the Cleveland County Commissioners.
Skyboat Gaming is another matter. The Skyboat head person, Wallace Cheeves, says “No-Dice!” (No pun intended.) Cheeves says he did his duty under his initial agreements with the Catawba leadership in place at the time and demands that his contract terms be upheld. Or, and that is a big OR, Cheeves Demands a “One-Time” and “UP Front” payment of $125 Million$ Dollar$. PLUS $6 Million$ per year; basically, until the end of time or Hell freezes over. Whichever comes first.
SO, at present, nobody knows how this Casino Project will end up. However, everybody knows the Catawba Casino Project leadership and all associated leadership has turned into one big fiasco. One big “fubar” after another.
However, the Catawba Casino is still operating under a temporary and “down-sized” basis. The Catawba Casino related land-sharks are still land-sharking. The Midpines Recycling Center is now the “Temporary Midpines Convenience Center” that the Commissioners will certainly giveaway cheap to their “corruption buddies” (when the coast is clear) to build a remote railway transit road from wherever it starts to the Catawba Casino.
And most of all, I-85 South to and from Kings Mountain and Charlotte is still expanding into Cleveland County from the East. I-85 North to and from Cleveland County from Spartanburg is expanding from the West. The new 74 Bypass around Shelby is eventually going to be finished and business to and from Asheville will soon be booming.
All in all, and as pure luck would have it, Cleveland County is placed strategically to grow financially and economically. All Cleveland County needs is a new set of leaders-Commissioners and School Board Members-to keep Cleveland County on the right and legal path to success. And to repair or replace our failing Education system here in Cleveland County. Good roads, reasonable taxes, good and fully accountable schools and a much better county leadership team is all that is needed for prosperity to boom right here in CC. And the 2024 Elections have both the majority of Commissioners and School Board members up for grabs in the 2024 Republican Primary Elections.
Also, Robert A. Williams is the first person to announce his candidacy for Cleveland County Commissioner. Robert A is already developing his plans to Take Back Cleveland County from the wrong-headed corruption that has held CC back for so very long. And YOU readers will be the first to see those plans. And YOU incumbent Commissioners and incumbent School Board Members might as well resign while you still can!!!
Stay tuned folks, YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET!!! Except the present Commissioners “copy-catting” some of Robert A’s suggestions whenever they think they can get away with it.