Another 1.4 million visited Harrah’s newer Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy, which opened four years ago. Last year, 4 million visitors passed through the doors to the casino, to its 1,000 hotel rooms and to its 24-lane bowling alley and concert venue. On a casino floor approaching the size of three football fields, the roulette tables and slot machines are open for business 24 hours a day. The business of casinos is transforming some areas of Western North Carolina and creating jobs, but that may be a mixed blessing at best.
