“That’s a lot of open positions,” said Sneed. The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority is currently advertising 75 jobs. On top of that, the tribe is carrying 135 open positions with an additional 35 positions frozen. Now, Valley River has 90 open positions and Cherokee 789. Haywood County Commissioners got some great news Oct. However, he told Council, it’s imperative that they do something to address the casino’s labor shortage - and soon.
Sneed withdrew the legislation to renegotiate with the property owner. However, after an at-times contentious exchange it became clear that, given the results of the geotechnical report, Tribal Council was not going to approve the purchase at the price proposed.
In July 2021, the parcel appraised for $2.6 million, according to the proposed resolution, but Crisp was willing to sell for $2.5 million. The 9.5-acre property, currently owned by enrolled member Morgan Owle Crisp, is a “relatively level grassy field” bordered by Don Lambert Road to the east and Casino Trail to the south, with forested property to the north and west, according to a geotechnical report Sneed presented Council last week. “We have to do what’s necessary to support the one enterprise that’s paying all the bills for everything,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed told Tribal Council March 3, asking for approval to purchase the property proposed as the project site.
