Koi Nation’s $600M casino dream faces hurdles in California

Koi Nation, a small landless tribe in Northern California, has been striving to enter the lucrative gaming industry for decades. After facing legal challenges and setbacks, the tribe now stands on the brink of fulfilling its dreams with a proposed $600 million casino and resort in Sonoma County.

Journey to secure land

The Koi Nation has a deep historical connection to Northern California, dating back thousands of years. However, the tribe has faced significant obstacles, especially when it lost its reservation land in Lake County decades ago. In 2019, a federal court ruling significantly changed the course of the Koi Nation’s history. The decision allowed the tribe to pursue the purchase of land for a casino, setting the stage for their current venture in Sonoma County.

In their quest to build a world-class casino, the Koi Nation teamed up with the 96-member Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. This partnership was crucial, as it provided the Koi Nation with the financial and operational backing needed to move forward. With the help of the Chickasaw Nation, the Koi Nation purchased a 68 acres parcel in Sonoma County for $12.3 million. This prime piece of real estate is now waiting for approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior to be placed into trust, a critical step in the development of the casino.

Plans and vision

The proposed Shiloh resort and casino is not just a gambling venue, it is envisioned as a luxury destination with a 2,500-slot machine casino, a 400-room hotel, and amenities like a spa and pool. The development aims to attract tourists and provide economic opportunities for Koi Nation members.

Dino Beltran, Vice Chairman of the Koi Nation’s Tribal Council, informed that the revenue generated from the casino would provide much-needed resources for the tribe, including educational programmes, healthcare, and opportunities for young tribal members. It would also serve as a pathway to long-term economic stability.

Beltran said, “It has taken us years to be on the same playing field as every other tribe in the United States and now the same tribes that have established themselves are against us. It’s a very sad thing.”

Community concerns

The Koi Nation’s plans have faced fierce opposition from nearby tribes, most notably the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Dry Creek Band of Pomo Indians, both of which operate their own casinos. In a letter to the Department of the Interior, Newsom urged officials to consider alternative locations for the casino. “Generally speaking, tribes cannot game on any land that is taken into trust after 1988 but there are important exceptions to that general prohibition that are meant to be fair to tribes that did not have land in 1988,” said Kathryn Rand, an expert on tribal gaming law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s International Center for Gaming Regulation.

California is home to 110 federally recognised tribes and 87 tribal casinos, making it the largest market for Native American gaming in the United States. However, the market is becoming increasingly competitive, as more tribes seek to enter the gaming industry. The construction of a large casino in the heart of wine country has sparked debates about balancing development with preserving the natural beauty of the region.

The fate of the Shiloh resort and casino now lies in the hands of the Department of the Interior. If approved, the casino could become a transformative project for the Koi Nation, providing the tribe with economic stability and a chance to reclaim its place in Northern California.

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