The Proposed Tribal Casino in California's Wine Country is Set for Public Hearing
A proposed $600 million tribal casino in California's wine country has been set for a public hearing with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) this week. The Koi Nation of Northern California, which gained federal recognition in 2019, is trying to secure its economic sovereignty through casino gaming, just like many other federally recognized tribes across the United States.
In September 2021, the tribe identified a 68.6-acre plot of land at E. Shiloh Rd. and Old Redwood Highway in California's wine country as having historical ties to them, with a landowner willing to sell the land. They bought it for $12.3 million on September 3, 2021. However, to open a tribal casino on this land, the Department of the Interior (DOI) must add the acreage into the federal trust.
The DOI is in the process of reviewing the land. While this is ongoing, the BIA carried out an Environmental Assessment to analyze the potential environmental consequences if the Koi Nation constructs a casino resort there.
This Wednesday, September 27, the BIA will host a virtual public hearing about its environmental review findings. Sonoma County residents who wish to submit comments can visit this site.
There are three proposed projects the BIA and Koi Nation will discuss at the meeting:
- The primary project is a casino resort with over 538,000 square feet of indoor space featuring typical amenities such as a hotel, restaurants, and a spa.
- In the second scenario, the Koi Nation is willing to settle for a smaller resort with an indoor space of about 406,000 square feet.
- Lastly, the Koi Nation is considering transforming the land into a winery with a hotel.
The primary proposal includes a 114,000 square foot casino floor with 2,750 slot machines, 105 table games, and a sportsbook. It also features a 400-room hotel, a 14,000-square-foot spa, five restaurants, numerous bars and quick-service eateries, and a 44,900-square-foot ballroom. There will be a 1.2 million square foot parking garage as well as more than 600 surface parking spaces.
The Koi Nation claimed ancestral ties to the land around 10 miles north of downtown Santa Rosa and 75 miles north of San Francisco, but this has been disputed by other tribes in the area. The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, who respectively own and operate Graton Resort & Casino and River Rock Casino, deny the Koi Nation's claims. Chairman Greg Sarris of the Graton Rancheria said, "The consensus among ethnohistorians is that the Koi Nation’s ancestral roots are in the Lower Lake area of Lake County."
The DOI and Secretary Deb Haaland, with advice from the BIA, will make the final decision on whether the Koi Nation land will be included in the federal trust.
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Source: www.casino.org
