‘A beneficial partner’: Catawba chief focused on casino, financial impact, local ties

After facing nearly a decade of struggles, the Catawba Indian Nation, South Carolina’s only federally-recognized Native American tribe, may be headed toward a brighter future.

In 2020, the Catawba Nation battled coronavirus (American Indians were found by the Centers for Disease Control to be more susceptible to the virus). The Catawbas lost tribal leader Butch Sanders to the virus in November 2020.

In 2017, the Catawbas had to argue in the South Carolina legislature to get their children in public schools in Rock Hill, S.C., where their reservation is located.

And the tribe has been fighting since 2013 to make financial improvements.

The unemployment rate of the Catawba Nation, as calculated in April 2020, was 13.8% is more than three times the unemployment rate of North and South Carolina. The median household income is around $30,000, records show. That’s about 30% below the median income in both Carolinas.

In 2013, the Catawba Indian Nation announced plans to build a casino, ultimately called Two Kings Casino, in King’s Mountain, N.C. The Catawba’s business plan showed the casino is projected to generate $72 million in revenue in its first year, and $150 million by its fifth year.

The casino could be the break the tribe needs to overcome its financial struggles.

The casino faced plenty of barriers -- political opposition, failed applications, and a federal lawsuit by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. But an April 16 federal court decision, denying the lawsuit, removed the casino’s last obstacle. Catawba representatives now say part of the casino will open in July.

Herald reporter Tobie Nell Perkins recently sat down with Catawba Chief William “Bill” Harris to talk about the Catawba nation.

Harris, 67, became chief in 2011. Harris says this is his last term, but plans to lead through 2023. The Chief said he hopes the casino will get the Catawbas past their financial struggles.

“This was a long hard fight,” he says. “We’re righting historical wrongs.”

His responses have been edited for brevity.

We’re at a really pivotal time for the Catawbas because there was the pandemic, and at the same time the casino is progressing. Talk about the impact of COVID.

“We lost tribal citizens to COVID. As you well know, the indigenous community is very susceptible to COVID-19, and there were communities that lost a lot of people ... Luckily, that didn’t happen here. Ours were usually staggered losses, but we also lost a tribal leader during the pandemic. Butch Sanders, we lost him in November of last year.

“But there were some good things that came out of COVID. One was the ability to interact with people virtually, which is something we had never done. People were resistant to that because usually, when you come to the round room, which is the general council chambers, only tribal citizens are allowed in that room.

“What we saw was there was an interest of the community that wasn’t within driving distance to attend virtual meetings. When we did our first virtual meeting, we were getting people from California, Colorado, Mississippi, Utah, who are actually now reconnecting. Prior to that, all they had was a newsletter.

“And with that, I’m hoping that what we’ll do is we will build on that and create hybrid general council meetings where you can be present, or you can be virtual.”

Roadblocks to the Kings mountain casino have been removed. Do you anticipate the casino creating a significant financial change?

“Let’s talk about what economic development is. There’s not a community, a society that can sustain itself without economic development. Without economic development, you will be limited to your resources. Right now, Catawba has had that for many years, because what we have survived on is our ability to write grants and serve the needs of the people through those grants.

“That’s the most important thing about the economic stability that’s coming, is that you’re no longer waiting for Congress to dictate what you can and cannot have.”

Is this a chance for the tribe to take some control over its financial situation?

“Absolutely. What everybody has said about indigenous people, is that they don’t know how to handle their affairs. But when you look at indigenous communities who have this kind of opportunity, they excel in this. Look at the successful indigenous tribes and communities out there who have benefited extremely from gaming. The Seminole tribe (in Florida) owns five of the Hard Rock Cafés, for one.”

Will the casino employ a lot Catawba citizens?

“I hope so is, because this is going to be something that you can sit back and say, ‘I’m a part of this. It’s not that I own it. I’m a part of it.’ And with that, there should come pride. If you work there, you know that you are truly an ambassador for our nation. It’s work that they will have pride in, that they are on the top of the timeline of when this happened. When they become grandparents or great grandparents, they can actually sit back and say, ‘I was there in 2021 when that door first opened.’’’

Talk about the Catawba’s relationship with the state and city of Rock Hill.

“I think it’s time for South Carolina to come back and sit at this table, or we’ll sit at their table, and have a discussion. Let’s start work on that, because we truly can be a beneficial partner. We’ve always had that capability.

“When I came into office in 2011, what I saw was, it’s time to rebuild some fences. I think there are, in many ways, there are a lot of misconceptions, still today about ‘what is Catawba. What are they doing down there? Can we go down there?’

“But you see the sign coming (to the reservation) as well. It doesn’t say ‘You’re not allowed here.’ It says ‘Welcome to the Catawba reservation.’

“You’re welcome here.”

Is there anything else you want to say?

“To the Catawba community, what I want to say is this was a long hard fight. At this point in time, we’re righting historical wrongs. Acknowledge that and embrace what that is.

“To the non-Catawba community, what I want to say is we have been your friends for generations. For hundreds of years, we have welcomed you into our community. All we ask is that you are accepting as well, because we never know when something that Catawbas can bring to the table will allow a project to move forward. And Catawbas don’t know what Rock Hill can bring to the table.”