Three Things We Love About The Harrah's Hop
May 1st, 2024
CHEROKEE, NC - While it often goes unnoticed for those with personal vehicles, the Hickory Hop from Boone and Hickory to Douglas International Airport in Charlotte is a lifesaver for many. The Hickory Hop offers a timely scenic envoy down the famed Highway 16, dumping out at Hickory Municipal Airport. We at the Rotten Appal were excited upon hearing news of a new Hop route from App State's Boone Campus to the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. We sent our field correspondent on the Harrah's Hop's maiden voyage loaded with questions and crisp legal tender. Here's what to know before your first trip to the tables.
Speed is the Name of the Game
For the carless folks, the Harrah's Hop is the fastest way as a student to reach a blackjack table. Our field correspondent was able to go from full-time student to bona fide gambler in no more than three hours.
The Harrah's Hop stops at several key points along its route. We spoke to Braylie, 19, who said her favorite stop was the furniture store outside Maggie Valley whose manager prints fake I.Ds because his cousin is the county coroner.
"The manager said that the county doesn't care because his cousin's been coroner for decades and no one else wants to do it. The driver said he was stopping for a 'piss break' here," said Braylie. Since the legal age to hit the tables at Harrah's was raised from 18 to 21 at the turn of the century, stops like this can make or break trips.
Low Prices (and where to find them)
Prices for the Harrah's Hop (as with the other Hop routes) might seem expensive upfront. Thankfully, we were pleasantly surprised by the range of seasonal sales, especially those tailor-made for student schedules and student budgets. Aside from holiday discounts, Harrah's Hop tickets are discounted in line with student employee paydays, tuition rebates, and even major App State athletic events when the parlays run hot.
This is in addition to trips offered through tuition as part of the new fall 2024 Gambling Sciences Major, with courses "GAM1110: Intro to Roulette," "GAM1200: Beginner Card Counting," and "GAM2001: Slot Statistics." Interim Chancellor Norris said in a statement that Appalachian State is not legally responsible for any money lost on balls that don't land on red.
The Human Factor
A final touching aspect of the Harrah's Hop is the human side, the people you meet and the communities you help on your way towards winning it big. Josh, 20, told us he was surprised that many passengers weren't students:
"When I got on at Peacock, it looked like it was gonna be an awkward driver. But when we got to Deerfield Assisted Living you'd think we were going to the cemetery the way they piled in."
Gambling losses in Cherokee should be seen as philanthropic too. Remember, every time you lose, the Eastern Band of Cherokee win. Every blackjack against you is direct income for the people, as well as public investment towards new schools, hospitals, and public housing.
When asked about the new Hop, Appalachian State Administration said it was excited about the prospects it offered for students.
"With tuition and cost of living rising and more and more students being priced out, the Casino might be a way for our less fortunate to claw their way back in. I paid for college with the money I made working at a hot dog stand in the sixties. We all have our paths," said an anonymous Administrative representative.
So, is gambling really a losing game? We're not so sure. Our field correspondent left town with most of his financial worth and came back with (in his words), "enough money to kill the president and get out on bail." As for whether this strategy can carry over to our student body as a whole, well, we'll just have to wait and see if it's in the cards.