- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Real Estate
The Catawba Nation expanded its land holdings with a $9 million purchase of nearly 200 acres near the Catawba River in Rock Hill, S.C. The acquisition, finalized on Jan. 15, includes two properties on Mintwood Lane, south of Sturgis Road and east of Whitehorse Road.
The property will become part of the Nation’s Green Earth reservation, one of two areas under Catawba jurisdiction. Catawba Nation spokeswoman Tylee Anderson told Tribal Business News the tribe is not yet ready to discuss plans for the newly acquired property.
The Catawba Nation owns nearly a dozen properties in the area, including some held in federal trust, per a report by The Rock Hill Herald. With the latest purchase, the tribe's reservation and other holdings combine for more than 1,500 acres. The acquisition is part of the tribe's ongoing efforts to grow its land holdings in York County for both housing and economic development, Anderson said.
“Most of our citizens live in or around York County, so this goes toward giving us a bigger presence there,” Anderson said. “We've been trying to grow that area because people are wanting to move back home. It’s also going to widen economic opportunities for the tribe.”
The Mintwood Lane parcel joins a recently purchased parcel on Rivercrest Road, also in Rock Hill. The tribe completed a new bridge and road leading to the Rivercrest Road parcel in late January, marking the event with a ribbon cutting. Anderson said the Rivercrest property will become the new home for the tribe’s police department and court system.
The tribe’s chief, Brian Harris, plans to invite outside partners to bring businesses to the reservation alongside tribal members’ ventures. This development in the Green Earth area also includes plans for new homes, a medical office building, and a water main extension.
“It has been an issue getting infrastructure in place, and we're excited that we’ve moved forward with it,” Anderson said.
The Catawba Nation also operates beyond South Carolina with a trust acquisition of 17 acres in Cleveland, N.C. The Nation has become the second tribe, alongside the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to operate a casino within North Carolina state lines.
