Koi Nation finds Windsor casino development partner

The Koi Nation band of the Pomo Indians has taken another step toward the development of a casino that would border Windsor on the south side of East Shiloh Road.

The tribe, once known as the “Lower Lake Rancheria” because of its roots in Lake County, is now identifying itself as the “Koi Nation of Northern California,” is partnering with Global Gaming Solutions (GGS) — an Oklahoma-based company owned by the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma to construct its planned 68-acre Shiloh Casino and Resort.

“The Chickasaw Nation, with its tribal headquarters in Ada, Oklahoma, has an exemplary track record in developing and operating tribal gaming operations and related resort properties,” Sam Singer of Singer Associates Public Relations wrote in a Jan. 24 press release announcing the partnership. “It operates 23 gaming establishments around the nation, including Windstar World Casino and Resort, the largest casino in the world. The Chickasaw Nation also operates nearly 200 additional highly successful businesses, giving it a broad range of commercial expertise that makes it the ideal partner to develop and manage the Shiloh Resort and Casino.”

The planned Shiloh Resort and Casino, announced September 15, 2021, would have 2,500 Class III gaming machines, a 200-room hotel, six restaurant and food service areas, a meeting center and a spa. The tribe has said it’s exercising its federally recognized rights in pursuing the development, which Tribal Chairman Darin Beltran said will allow the tribe to “control its own destiny” and “build prosperity for our tribe and make a real difference for our people today as well as for our children and the generations yet to come.”

“We are honored to build this important business relationship with our brothers and sisters of the Chickasaw Nation, one of the most experienced Native American tribes in the gaming industry,” Koi Nation Tribal Chair Darin Beltran said.

“We are honored to build this important business relationship with our brothers and sisters of the Chickasaw Nation, one of the most experienced Native American tribes in the gaming industry,” Beltran said of the deal.

Windsor residents have decried the project for its location on the border of a residential area, saying it will bring crime to Windsor, damage the town’s family-oriented identity and turn it into another Rohnert Park. The parcel on which the casino is planned was sold to the Koi Nation in a private land deal not requiring any governmental process. Prior to construction, the tribe must take the land into trust through a federal process with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), superseding the ability of any local authorities, such as the Town of Windsor, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors — or even the State of California — to intervene.

Should the tribe succeed with the trust process, the parcel will become sovereign land, subject to federal laws which allow for Indian gaming.

The Koi Nation has stated the location was within 10 miles of the tribe’s historic lands, however, community members and other Native American tribes have since challenged the Koi Nation’s claims of Sonoma County roots, as the tribe apparently originated in Clear Lake. Koi Nation has a long history of struggles with local and federal governmental bodies.

Speaking to SoCoNews Jan. 25, Mayor Sam Salmon said the Town of Windsor had taken a “wait-and-see” approach toward the project, with the site being outside the town’s sphere of influence and urban growth boundary and the unknowns regarding a complicated federal process. 

But the town has been in contact with the tribe and its consultants and is preparing to be part of public outreach efforts the Koi Nation may need to complete the trust process and construct the casino, meaning town officials will be at the table as the project develops.

Salmon said, while he respects Native American sovereignty, the proposed site is not a good spot for a casino, and he represents the people of Windsor, who generally oppose the project. However, the tribe is unlikely to reconsider the location.

“This has been on the drawing board for quite a while actually. They’ve been working on it for a long time,” Salmon said. “They may say this is the one shot they’ve got if we bring up other potential sites.”

While the town may be unable to compel the tribe to look elsewhere, there will likely have to be cooperation with town officials to handle impacts like traffic on Shiloh Road.

Salmon also said the Chickasaw Tribe seems to have valuable experience as a development and management partner, and hopefully they will be considerate of concerns made by residents. He said that Koi Nation tribal leaders were, in particular, concerned about rumors that the casino had Las Vegas investors.

“What we hear about casinos — many people think of them very negatively, maybe even the majority. That was one thing that they were concerned about — that people thought they were going to bring in a Las Vegas company,” Salmon said.

Salmon said the process, whether amiable or not, will be political, as Chickasaw Nation is a “big entity,” with money and influence. He worries about sprawl around the casino in future years, and how the casino will affect aspects of the community like the Town Green, Lakewood Village and local schools.

He said the next step for town and county officials is to continue to become educated on laws related to Indian Gaming and the BIA process currently underway, and emphasized the need for constructive dialogue.

“Will the federal government and the tribes listen to us? Will they listen to Windsor? And what will we say if they do? If it’s just ranting and raving I have a feeling they won’t listen,” he said.