Federal approval for Koi Nation's casino project in Sonoma County's wine region faces legal challenge by California authorities.
Looks like the Koi Nation's plans for a swanky casino in wine country Sonoma County ain't going down easy. California's Governor Gavin Newsom and the state have joined forces, filing a lawsuit against the federal government over the green light given to this bad boy.
According to the lawsuit, filed in Northern California, the federal Department of Interior approved the Koi Nation's plan to construct a gargantuan gambling complex, christened the "Shiloh Resort & Casino," on a 68.6-acre plot near Windsor. This beast of a project's got 2,750 slot machines, 105 table games, a 400-room hotel, and digs big enough to accommodate over 10,000 folks.
But wait, there's more. The feds' approval has the state crying foul play, claiming they skipped a few steps, undermining state sovereignty in the process.
The $600 million gaming and hospitality destination is meant to rise on land that the U.S. Department of the Interior approved for the Koi Nation, all under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). However, the state argues that the feds misused the "restored lands" exception under IGRA, allowing gaming on newly acquired land. California believes this exception was misapplied, as it ignores crucial legal limitations and the preferences of voters, expressed in Proposition 1A, which controls tribal gaming in California.
This isn't the only legal brouhaha surrounding the casino. The Graton Rancheria, which operates the Graton Resort & Casino nearby, has also joined the fray, filing a separate suit against the U.S. Department of the Interior to halt the Koi Nation's project. Graton Rancheria expresses concerns about the potential impact on their business.
The litigation revolves around the interpretation of federal gaming laws, tribal land rights, and state sovereignty concerns, with potential implications for future tribal casino developments in California and beyond.
Stay tuned, folks, as this legal showdown promises to be a doozy!
- Governor Gavin Newsom, in collaboration with the state, has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, contending that the approval of the Koi Nation's sports-betting complex, the Shiloh Resort & Casino, in California's Sonoma County, undermined state sovereignty.
- The tribal Koi Nation's proposed sports-betting complex, worth $600 million, includes a gambling complex, a 400-room hotel, and space for over 10,000 people, and has encountered opposition from both the state and the Graton Rancheria, which operates a nearby casino.
- The Graton Rancheria, apart from the state, has also filed a separate lawsuit against the federal government, aiming to halt the Koi Nation's casino project, expressing worries about the potential adverse effect on their business.
