Sonoma County Casino Planned by Koi Nation

This story was published more than 2 years ago.

The Koi Nation native American tribe has announced that they're planning to build a $600 million casino resort in Sonoma County on a 68 acre tract of land.

The tribe purchased the plot of land for $12.3 million from a winery. The property is about 10 miles from traditional historic Koi lands, but the tribe is planning to put the plot in federal trust.

The proposed resort would have 1.2 million square feet and will have 2,500 slot machines, 200 hotel rooms, 6 restaurants, a meeting center, and a full spa. The tribe is using itself as a developer and is in talks with potential partners. If the resort comes to fruition, the casino will employ more than 1,100 people.

This planned resort has several steps to go through before it's cleared. First, the tribe has to get the federal government to put it in the trust (that step is already in progress, as noted above). Next, the tribe will have to negotiate an agreement with Governor Gavin Newsom. After that, the agreement has to be approved of by the state's Legislature and then approved of by the Department of the Interior.

The Koi Nation lived on land that was taken from them by the American government in the 1870s, and just obtained federal recognition as a tribe in 2019. Needless to say, they're working hard to get into the benefits of being recognized as a sovereign group of people.

About the author

Dustin Jermalowicz // News Editor
Dustin Jermalowicz
Dustin has a long-standing passion for gambling. He has been writing professionally on the subject and breaking industry news for Casino Listings since 2011. His favorite casino games include Blackjack, Poker, and Hi/Lo. A proud native of Detroit, Dustin currently lives in Michigan.