An indigenous community in Northern California has been striving for decades to join the ranks of other tribes that generate millions of dollars yearly from the gaming industry by acquiring property, opening a casino, and selling their wares.
A 2019 federal court decision made it feasible for the small Koi Nation tribe to locate a financial partner to purchase property and put it into a trust, making it eligible for a casino. Before this, the tribe's chances of owning a Las Vegas-style casino looked implausible.
As they await U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's decision on the trust status of the 68-acre (27-hectare) parcel they purchased in Sonoma County for $12.3 million in 2021, the 96-member tribe has joined forces with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, owners of the largest casino on the planet.
The Koi family wants to construct a $600 million resort and casino on a picturesque property in the middle of Northern California's wine region, and putting the property into trust would make that dream a reality.
This ruling is part of a more considerable effort by the federal government to make amends for its role in dispossessing Indigenous peoples of their land. The process extends beyond simply restoring ancestral lands; it also permits tribes to place land under trust if they can establish "a significant historical connection to the land."
According to casino software reviews and news sites, the Koi Nation is a Pomo tribe from the Southeast with thousands of years of history in Northern California. Their plans for the Shiloh Resort and Casino, which would have 400 rooms, a spa, a pool, and 2,500 slot machines, have drawn strong opposition from other tribes and even California Governor Gavin Newsom.