Proposed $600 Million Tribal Casino in California Wine Country to Undergo Public Hearing
Posted on: September 25, 2023, 02:38h.
Last updated on: September 24, 2023, 07:39h.
A tribal casino project worth $600 million is set to undergo a public hearing with the US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The proposed casino is located in California’s wine country, north of San Francisco.
The Koi Nation of Northern California, a federally recognized tribe since 2019, aims to establish its economic sovereignty through casino gaming. The tribe has identified a 68.6-acre plot of land located at E. Shiloh Rd. and Old Redwood Highway, which it believes has historical ties to their heritage.
If approved by the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Koi Nation has a tentative agreement with the landowner to acquire the property and build a tribal casino resort, replacing the current vineyard and private estate.
While waiting for the DOI’s decision, the BIA has conducted an extensive Environmental Assessment to evaluate the potential environmental impact of the proposed casino resort.
On September 27, the BIA will hold a virtual public hearing to present their findings from the environmental review. Sonoma County residents can submit their comments and feedback through this site.
Three Project Proposals
During the public hearing, representatives from the Koi Nation and federal BIA officials will discuss three different project proposals and their projected environmental effects. The tribe’s preferred plan is a casino resort with over 538,000 square feet of indoor space, including a hotel, multiple restaurants, and a spa.
In the event that the large-scale integrated resort poses significant environmental risks that would lead to denial by the BIA, the Koi Nation is open to considering a smaller resort with an indoor footprint of approximately 406,000 square feet. Alternatively, they may explore a scenario focused on developing the winery and an accompanying hotel while excluding the casino.
The primary proposal features a 114,000 square foot casino floor with 2,750 slot machines, 105 table games, and a sportsbook. It also includes a 400-room hotel, a 14,000-square-foot spa, five restaurants, several bars and quick-service eateries, and a 44,900-square-foot ballroom.
The development will be complemented by a 1.2 million square foot parking garage and more than 600 surface parking spots.
Opposition from Local Tribes
The Koi Nation asserts ancestral connections to the land, which is situated about 10 miles north of downtown Santa Rosa and 75 miles north of San Francisco. However, neighboring tribes with longer histories in the region dispute these claims.
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, who own and operate Graton Resort & Casino, and the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, operators of River Rock Casino, have expressed opposition to the Koi Nation’s casino project, arguing that it encroaches upon their territories.
Graton officials have been particularly critical, accusing the Koi Nation of engaging in “reservation shopping” and acquiring desirable land for gaming purposes, a term coined by anti-casino groups to criticize non-gaming tribes.
“The consensus among ethnohistorians is that the Koi Nation’s ancestral roots are in the Lower Lake area of Lake County,” declared Graton Rancheria Chairman Greg Sarris in 2021. “The Koi Nation has never been associated with Sonoma County, linguistically or culturally, as a people indigenous to its landscape.”
The final decision on whether the Koi Nation’s land will be taken into the federal trust lies with the DOI and Secretary Deb Haaland, based on recommendations from the BIA.