Occasionally, it's the opportune moment, rather than the place, that matters most.
Rolling the Dice on I-95
Entrepreneur Wallace Cheves is laying his cards on the table, aiming to revolutionize the Corridor of Shame — a stretch of South Carolina's I-95 notorious for poverty and backward education. The ace up his sleeve? A casino resort! With enough legislative support, this ambitious project could turn the tide and rake in over $100 million in taxes per year.
Once the pioneer behind the Kings Mountain Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, alongside the Catawba Indian Nation, Cheves is now gunning for a larger prize: transforming an abandoned Santee, Orangeburg County site into a resort to entertain the millions of travelers on I-95.
Cheves' initial strategy was to rekindle the partnership with Catawba, but South Carolina's longstanding resistance to their plans for a casino on the Rock Hill reservation forced a change of tack. Instead, Cheves may be eyeing a chance with the Lumbee Tribe, who have land in North Carolina and South Carolina, potentially becoming a legal gambling entity in the Palmetto State.
House Bill 4176, titled the "I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act," is eagerly awaiting its turn in the South Carolina House. If the bill passes, it could create a gaming commission, clearing the way for casino development along the interstate corridor.
While political, educational, and religious leaders have painted gambling as a consequence rather than a prosperity booster for South Carolina, a recent poll reveals that over 63% of citizens favor the idea.
Cheves is as patient as a cat on a hot stove, insisting that he'll wait for the necessary permits to start construction—even if it takes another 13 years like the Kings Mountain casino project. Only then will he make his big play, with an estimated $1 billion investment at stake.
In today's mercurial economy, uncertainty levels are sky-high. A casino of that magnitude is a grand gamble. Who knows if Cheves' dream will pay off? Then again, timing is everything. If his hand hits the table in 2029 — the unpredictable year that may hold the answers to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the fate of the Santee resort—the stakes could be significantly higher than the house's.
The stakes are even higher for other proposed casino projects in Chicago and New York City. The timing here is crucial too; a fortune lost in today's market doesn't mean the same fortune would have been lost years ago. The success of Sinclair Lewis's Black Thread Inn in 1929 compared to Revel in Atlantic City in 2012 is a stark reminder of the power of timing.
One thing's for sure,Cheves is all in for the Santee project. Only time will tell if he hits the jackpot. Stay tuned—the show's only just begun!
Sources:1. Wilson, E. D. (2025). "South Carolina Casinos: The Latest Rumors and Where They Stand." Ken Adams, Our Website.2. Cheves, W. (2025). "I-95 Casino: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities." Orangeburg Chamber of Commerce News.3. King, J. (2025). "A Casino on I-95? South Carolina Plans to Find Out." The Post and Courier.4. Harris, B. (2025). "The Catawba Nation's Stake in South Carolina's Casino Plan." Tribal Times.
- Wallace Cheves, who was involved in the Kings Mountain Casino with the Catawba Indian Nation, is now aiming to partner with the Lumbee Tribe for a casino resort along I-95 in South Carolina.
- If House Bill 4176, the "I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act," passes, it could establish a gaming commission and pave the way for casino development along the interstate corridor.
- A recent poll revealed that over 63% of South Carolina citizens favor the idea of a casino, despite concerns from religious and political leaders.
- If the Santee casino project, which is estimated to cost $1 billion, is approved and starts in 2029, the stakes could be significantly higher due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential economic recovery of that year.
