Published on: December 26, 2024, 01:00h.

Last updated on: December 26, 2024, 01:00h.

A tribal casino planned for California’s Sonoma County has been put on hold indefinitely by a federal judge.

A federal judge in California granted a temporary restraining order to the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, delaying the Koi Nation’s proposed tribal casino near Windsor.

The judge agreed that the Bureau of Indian Affairs might have rushed its review of the Koi Nation’s claims of ancestral ties to Windsor and the acquisition of 68 acres of land in 2021 into federal trust.

The temporary restraining order prevents the Koi property from being taken into federal trust until further comments are heard in court.

No human remains were found on the property, only a piece of obsidian.

The temporary restraining order is expected to last until January 20, coinciding with a change in administration.

Project on Hold

Representatives from federal agencies and attorneys will present additional comments in court on Jan. 9.

Local opposition to the casino project has been significant.

Many express concerns about the environmental impact and the strain on resources in the region.

The Koi Nation has been accused of engaging in “reservation shopping.”