Harrah's Cherokee to participate in "Earth Hour"

by Mar 24, 2010NEWS ka-no-he-da0 comments

Source: Harrah’s Cherokee release    

The lights at Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel will be turned off and others dimmed from 8:30-9:30pm on Saturday, March 27 in celebration of the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour. (Photo courtesy of Harrah's Cherokee)

Lights will be turned off and others dimmed at Harrah’s Cherokee from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday, March 27, in support of the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour. This global event seeks to draw attention to climate change. Lights will be turned off at major landmarks across the world, including the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, Piccadilly Circus, the Forbidden City and the Las Vegas Strip. 

In addition to Harrah’s Cherokee, lights will go out at every Harrah’s Entertainment location in the United States and abroad, including those in Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, The United Kingdom, South Africa and Uruguay.  This year, Harrah’s Cherokee will join in the effort by dimming all nonessential lighting and adding its support for the protection of the Earth’s natural resources and climate.

Staff at Harrah’s Cherokee will turn off all outdoor decorative lighting and dimming the marquee screens at property entrances.  Lighting in the restaurants will be lowered along with lighting in all employee areas.  Hotel guests will be invited to participate in Earth Hour by turning off room lights.  Turner Construction Company will join in the effort by turning off lights in the casino’s third hotel tower being built as part of the property’s $633 million expansion.

“Earth Hour is an important demonstration to the world that Harrah’s is serious about climate change,” said Gary Loveman, chairman, CEO and president of Harrah’s Entertainment.   “What’s particularly exciting to me is the extent to which this has been a bottom up effort. Our employees come up with new ideas to reduce our environmental footprint all the time.”

“As the largest employer in western North Carolina and the site of the largest construction project in the state, we feel it is our responsibility to do our part in taking care of our environment,”   said Harrah’s Cherokee General Manager Darold Londo.