One local tribe’s bold proposal for a massive new resort and casino in the ranch lands east of Windsor has entered an important planning stage: Officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs are preparing a draft “environmental impact report” for the project, and as they do so, are inviting the public to give input on how it might affect the surrounding area. You have around three weeks left to throw in your 2 cents. The Shiloh Resort & Casino would be located on nearly 70 acres of unincorporated land between Old Redwood Highway and the Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, currently quilted in vineyards. It butts right up against a Windsor neighborhood, so it has some nearby residents spooked. A Pomo tribe from Lake County called the Koi Nation of Northern California reportedly bought the land for around $12 million a few years ago, and now they plan to make good use of it. They want to spend another $600 million building their proposed 100,000-square-foot casino and 400-room hotel on the site — plus a conference and event center, six restaurants and bars, a spa and a bunch of parking. “The property site is just over 10 miles from the Tribe’s historic lands within California’s Pomo territory,” the Koi say. “It gives life to negotiated treaty rights dating from the 1850s, undoing decades of woeful federal mistreatment.” At first, their proposal seemed like a long shot — especially since some other tribes nearby that run their own casinos pushed back. But since then, the Koi have announced the support of “a broad coalition of 18 California tribal governments, several political figures and one key ally in state government — California Treasurer Fiona Ma,” according to the Press Democrat. Sonoma County government officials say the tribe has asked the federal government if their property can be “placed into trust to become sovereign tribal land.” The Koi application is still under review, according to the county — but if it’s approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the county will “not have regulatory jurisdiction or decision-making authority” over whether the casino is allowed to open. In any case, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is going ahead with the environmental impact report. The bureau says it’s an effort to “further analyze the environmental effects which may result from” the Shiloh Resort & Casino, as proposed — and as part of that process, they’re inviting the public to “identify potential issues, concerns, and alternatives to be considered.” You can send your opinions to Chad Broussard, an environmental protection specialist for the bureau, at [email protected]. Make sure to include your name and the phrase “NOI Comments, Koi Nation Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project” in the subject line. The deadline is April 8. (Source: Sonoma County Government & KRCB & Shiloh Resort Environmental & Town of Windsor & Koi Nation of Northern California & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
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