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Chickasaw Nation to help manage tribal casino resort in Northern California

A rendering of the Shiloh Resort and Casino
A rendering of the Shiloh Resort and Casino

A tribal casino resort in northern California’s wine country got the green light last week, and the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma will help with its development and operations.

In its final week, the Biden administration approved the Koi Nation of Northern California’s plans to construct the Shiloh Resort and Casino in Sonoma County last week. This move follows a federal judge’s decision in favor of the property’s development despite an ongoing battle of opposition from neighboring residents and tribes in the Golden State, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Koi Nation is a small tribe with a turbulent history testing its sovereignty and hold over land in California. Darin Beltran is the tribe’s chairman, and he expressed that the development of the casino resort is a way for them to further their independence as a sovereign nation.

“The Koi Nation has had to struggle harder than almost any other Tribe in California to re-establish our sovereignty,” said Darin Beltran, Tribal Chairman, in a release from the tribe. “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.”

In 2022, a business wholly owned by the Chickasaw Nation called “Global Gaming Solutions” entered a predevelopment agreement with Koi Nation to be the development partner for the property. This is the first casino project for the company outside of Oklahoma.

“It will be a great honor for GGS to assist the Koi in construction and management of the Shiloh Resort & Casino to be located just outside the city limits of Windsor, California,” said Kym Koch Thompson, a spokesperson for GGS in a statement shared with KOSU. “The design for the low-rise facility integrates with the natural beauty of the site and will be energy-efficient and respectful of the environment, in keeping with the Tribe’s historic relationship with the land.”

A construction timeline has not been determined.

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Sarah Liese (Twilla) reports on Indigenous Affairs for KOSU.
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