Between Geyserville’s River Rock and Rohnert Park’s Graton Resort and Casino, another Indian gaming development is in its final stages of public input.
The Koi Nation of Northern California—a tribe not usually associated with Sonoma County, and with fewer than 100 members—is moving ahead with its proposal for a large resort and casino on the southeastern edge of Windsor, on Shiloh Road at Old Redwood Highway.
A three-story casino and a five-story hotel with spa and pool area, ballroom/meeting space, event center, and associated parking and infrastructure, has been put forward for public review by a Pomo tribe from Lake County, the Koi Nation of Northern California.
A public hearing on the draft Environmental Impact Statement will take place via Zoom at 6pm on Tuesday, July 30. Register at tinyurl.com/3dytkds3 to attend. The Environmental Impact Statement and other links can be found online at shilohresortenvironmental.com.
The deadline for public comment by letter or e-mail is Aug. 26.
The Shiloh Resort & Casino would be located on almost 69 acres of unincorporated land between Old Redwood Highway and the Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, just outside the Windsor town limits. The tribe bought the land for $12.3 million in 2021, and six months later applied with the U.S. Department of the Interior to have the land placed in trust to become sovereign tribal land, the first step in planning for a casino.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
An Environmental Assessment from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was delivered earlier this year, and the resulting draft Environmental Impact Statement was published on July 12.
The draft EIS, from the BIA and prepared by Acorn Environmental of El Dorado Hills, specifies that the gaming component of the facility would be approximately 538,137 square feet and include 2,750 gaming devices with 105 table games.
The 400-room hotel would be 268,930 square feet. More than 5,100 parking spaces would be provided on the ground floor of the casino and in a parking garage. Other supporting infrastructure including proposed water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities would be located on the southeastern portion of the site.
The Environmental Impact Study also presents several alternative development plans for the site, including a “nongaming alternative” which would allow a 200-room hotel and a 25,000-square-foot winery and event center. A “reduced intensity” casino and a no-action option are also studied.
Geographically, the proposed Shiloh Resort and Casino would be located between the River Rock Casino in Geyserville and the Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park. This puts the Koi in conflict with two other Pomo groups, the Dry Creek Rancheria tribe that runs River Rock and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. Both groups have expressed their opposition to the Koi Nation’s plans because of the competition a third casino would bring to Sonoma County.
Sam Singer, spokesman for the Koi Nation tribe’s Shiloh Resort and Casino, made the case for the project’s location, telling the Tribune, “The Koi Nation’s historic ties to the land have been demonstrated in multiple ways, including an historic Koi trade route that passed directly through the property…”
“The Koi Nation is out of its territory,” said Greg Sarris, chair of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. “What they’re trying to do, if they are successful, would set a precedent that would undo Indian sovereignty as we know it in this country. And you will have a casino on every street corner in California.”
Homeland
The Koi have historically been associated with Lake County. “Their ancient home was on an island in Clear Lake, on which they lived peacefully for thousands of years,” according to their website. The island is now partially located in Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
When white settlers appropriated the land while the Koi were away at a regional Ghost Dance, in 1871, some of the tribe moved to the Russian River region. In 1916 the federal government assigned them a tract of land in the Lower Lake area, but it was “determined to be uninhabitable by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the trust was terminated in 1956,” according to KoiNationSonoma.com.
The tribe’s official site makes the case that gaming is the key to its economic development, claiming: “While we always have remained a sovereign nation, we are a landless one. Without land, our tribal sovereignty has been threatened, along with our ability to create the kind of economic stability for our people that is the goal of every native tribe.”
Upon purchase of the 222 Shiloh Rd. property, tribal leaders asked the BIA that it be “placed into trust to become sovereign tribal land.” The Koi application is still under review; if it’s approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the current EIS accepted, work on the project can commence.
Sonoma County says it will “not have regulatory jurisdiction or decision-making authority” over whether the casino is allowed to open, since the tribal land is considered a sovereign nation.
“The County can comment on things like the environmental report, but the County has no authority to compel the tribe to do or not do anything on their land,” said Matt Brown, communications specialist with Sonoma County. “That said, if the tribe does end up getting a casino, the County will likely sign a memorandum of understanding. The County has MOUs with the other gaming tribes in the county, Graton and Dry Creek, which is one way that the County can obtain concessions from the tribe.”
The Koi Nation has fewer than 100 members, so it is partnered with the Chickasaw Nation, one of the nation’s richest gaming tribes, in the casino project. The Koi would own Shiloh, while the Chickasaw would manage the resort and share in its profits. All of the existing 23 Chickasaw casinos are in Oklahoma, including the world’s largest, the Winstar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville.
As a recognized tribe—the Koi regained that status in 2019—the tribe stands to benefit from statewide gaming whether they have their own casino or not. Through the state’s Revenue Sharing Trust Fund the tribe, like most in California, is allocated $275,000 every quarter. The Koi have received a total of $24.4 million since the plan’s inception in 2000.
Simone Wilson contributed to this report.
This story is hilarious! Who knew the Chickasaw Nation had 23 casinos in Oklahoma including the largest one in the country in Thackery, OK?
How the white settlers stole the Koi land in Clearlake is funny, too.
“You stole our land!”
“You left.”
“We went dancing.”
“Hope you had a good time.”
This article is informative, however so many references to Windsor.
This development is OUT of Windsor jurisdiction.
This is County property and unincorporated Santa Rosa. There is nothing the residents of Windsor vote on nor could do or not do in regard to this development other than get onto public forums and voice their concerns. However, this development will impact the Windsor population more than any other in Sonoma County. The relevant intersection is used for daily errands and basic daily trips with so many homes, adjacent businesses, ball park, golf course, regional park and freeway access all within 1 mile of the development.
I am resident of Windsor for 24 years and Sonoma County for 35 years.
Kelcey, The County can force the developer to build his access to and from Hwy 101. The County could refuse to let the Casino development connect with County roads. The Indians are a sovereign nation. The knife cuts both ways.
Wrong. Taxpayers will pay for all road developments and other public services. The Oklahoma Cickasaw who will fund, build and own this are not responsible for this, nor is the tiny 90 member Koi tribe they are using to start building casinos here.
There will need to be major expansions on Highway 101 and Shiloh Road and between our regional airport and the casino.
With over 5,000 parking spots anyone who uses Highway 101 or Old Redwood Highway will see even more massive congestion. Hope those in Healdsburg never need to drive south on 101.
The initial Oklahoma Chickasaw investment is $600 Million but over time there will be major expansions just like Graton Casino which is right now adding on a $1 BILLION expansion. The tiny 90 member Koi tribe is just being used as an inroad.
River Rock in Geyserville is completely rebuilding and expanding PLUS has rights to build a second casino in Petaluma.
Sonoma County is destined to be known as the Las Vegas of California and there is little the public can do to prevent this from happening. It is the charter of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to make these casinos go through.
Everyone, attend the public Zoom Hearing on July 30. You must pre-register.
The investment is $600 Million but over time there will be major expansions just like Graton Casino which is right now adding on a $1 BILLION expansion. The tiny 90 member Koi tribe is just being used as an inroad.
River Rock in Geyserville is completely rebuilding and expanding PLUS has rights to build a second casino in Petaluma.
Sonoma County is destined to be known as the Las Vegas of California and there is little the public can do to prevent this from happening. It is the charter of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to make these casinos go through.
Everyone, attend the public Zoom Hearing on July 30. You must pre-register.
The Oklahoma Cickasaw Global Gaming Group will fund, build, manage and own this mega casino with over 5,000 parking spots, a 2,800 seat event center for Las Vegas visiting performers, 540,000 feet of gaming space and a 400 room hotel and spa complex. They are using the tiny Koi Nation of 90 members to expand their casino empire.
If you live in Healdsburg, Santa Rosa or Windsor you will be greatly impacted. Last chance to get involved and try to stop this.
We really do not need a casino in Windsor, we have River Rock and Graton. Also, there is a park at the bottom of that resort. Our children need parks as there are very few left, this would leave children at risk due to alcohol etc; I really don’t thing this is a good idea. Also, Windsor has to pay for their roads?f. We have many roads in Windsor that are in dire need of repair.
Did anyone here attend the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Zoom Hearing on July 30th? About 2/3 of all testimony came from union carpenters wanting the build jobs and speaking from the same script.
Only 2-3 from the Koi Tribe spoke (it’s leaders) though others involved in building/managing provided testimony… Including employees from the Oklahoma Chickasaw Global Gaming Group – who would fund, build and manage the resort/casino.
One Chickasaw speaker bragged about what a great casino operations company they have, and their expertise managing casino operations elsewhere in the US. The message: “don’t worry, you’re in good hands with the Chickasaw”.
By contrast, a large and varied group of opposition speakers stressed the Koi are not native to Sonoma County, water resources would be depleted by the up to 400,000 daily gallon draw, traffic congestion, heightened wildfire risk and evacuation, noise, light and air pollution, proximity to homes and family destinations, and general opposition to another Las Vegas mega casino being built.
What does Healdsburg think?
I live right off of Shiloh by the Home Depot and Walmart. I think this is the best opportunity there could be for the community. If you do not like responsible development, it means move a few hours north. Windsor is now suburb of the Bay area, and it is going to grow be it you like it or not. The casino in RP pays very well, and has brought a lot of great people who are purchasing homes and building business in that area. Windsor is simply approving tons upon tons upon tons of affordable housing. That is great because of the state requirements, but they are going over requirements. Low income housing does not funnel a ton of money into a community to support a tax base. You people are looking at the small picture, not the big picture. What Windsor needs to do is go after the owners of the shopping center to have that dump fixed up. It was nice when it was developed, but now its just campers parked through the Home Depot parking lot, homeless transients and landscaping that looks like S$%t. Nothing at all like the shopping centers with Safeway near Lakewood. That is maintained to perfection. Why cant the city enforce restrictions on them to make it more of a pleasant gateway to Windsor. Thats where the focus should be. It shouldnt be from racist people like Bun Bun that are just anti-native american.