graton rancheria casino and hotel project

Impacts on water resources, traffic, wildfire risk and public safety are all key concerns - and many of the same issues fueled opposition to development of Sonoma County’s two existing tribal casinos in the past two decades. “Counties are pretty much cut out of the process,” Hopkins said. Board Chair Lynda Hopkins recognized county officials may have little say over land-use decisions for the project under federal rules. Still, Koi Nation leaders said they already have reached out to Sonoma County supervisors to discuss their plans. The entire development would stretch across 1.2 million square feet.Īpproval of the casino resort ultimately rests with state and federal officials.

The intent is an energy-efficient resort blended with the natural landscape. The Koi Nation’s planned development would include 2,500 slot and other gaming machines, a 200-room hotel, six restaurant and food service areas, a meeting center and a spa. The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians owns and operates the smaller River Rock Casino near Geyserville. The expected economic and community benefits of the resort would buoy the tribe’s members - many of whom struggle to afford living in the North Bay - but also provide a boost for county residents, they said.

Koi Nation leaders, who went from being private citizens in Sonoma County to a force to be reckoned with in just a day, said they will seek input from community members and local elected leaders about their project. Until then, most of its members lived in Sonoma County but didn’t have land of their own.Īlthough local officials expressed surprise and opposition to the massive casino development plan, they acknowledged that the tribe likely would have broad authority over how to develop its newly acquired property if the federal government grants the property sovereign status. The tribe acquired the property at 222 East Shiloh Road from private owners this month for $12.3 million. Pending necessary state and federal approvals, it’s likely to take four years before the resort would be built and opened, tribal representatives said. The 90-member Pomo tribe intends to turn the land about a half-mile from Shiloh Ranch Regional Park into the Shiloh Resort & Casino. The Koi Nation, a federally recognized tribe based in Sonoma County, has unveiled plans to turn a 68-acre vineyard southeast of Windsor into a $600 million casino resort, one of the largest of its kind in Northern California.

Graton rancheria casino and hotel project