Years ago when I first visited Cherokee I thought it looked like a huge barn with continous rows of slots. And the lightning strikes that would go off in the ceiling periodically. My how that casino has changed.
I truly hope that it is successful and that they do expand it. Like you, it is an hour further from Charlotte than Cherokee is. And after being spoiled with a 150k square foot casino with over 4,000 slots I am not sure the distance would be worth it for a 50k square foot casino with 1,000 slots.