T
he Koi Nation plans to build a resort and casino on land in unincorporated Sonoma County, which will also see the tribe reestablishing its land base. The federally recognized tribe of Southeastern Pomo people has historically occupied land in Northern California, and its new tribal land base will occupy 68 acres near its historic lands in California’s Pomo territory.
As part of the land is set to be destined for the construction of the Shiloh Resort & Casino, on East Shiloh Road, north of Santa Rosa, the resort would create hundreds of jobs for local workers and the tribe, reports CBS SF Bay Area.
The proposed project will include a 2,500 Class III gaming machine facility, a 200-room hotel, six restaurants, a meeting center and a spa. The design for the facility will integrate with the natural beauty of the site and will be energy-efficient and respectful of the environment, according to a press release.
Koi Nation attorneys in Washington, D.C., filed on Wednesday an application to place the land into trust with the federal government, thus making it eligible for gaming the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The action will lead to an environmental review and public comment period to begin in 60 to 90 days, said Darin Beltran, Tribal Chairman.
“With this land and the Shiloh Resort & Casino, we are taking long overdue steps to preserve our cultural and historic integrity and secure a brighter future for coming generations,” added Beltran. “At the same time, our success will also benefit the communities in the region where our people have lived for thousands of years.”
Once fully operational, the casino resort will employ an estimated 1,100 full-time workers and provide benefits for the entire Sonoma community. Moreover, a portion of the resort’s revenues will be shared with the broader community “through the support of local organizations” as well as collaborations with local governments and community members.
For the proposed project, the tribe has assembled “a broad team of experts”, including former senior BIA and Secretary of the Interior official for the Clinton Administration Michael J. Anderson; Allyson Saunders, Esq., who counts with experience in tribal governance and economic development; and architectural firm Dale Partners.
“The Koi Nation has had to struggle harder than almost any other Tribe in California to re-establish our sovereignty,” lamented Beltran. “Despite this treatment, however, we have endured. It is time to exercise our rights as a federally recognized Tribe to have our own land and to control our own destiny.”
