The plan for a new casino just outside Windsor has hit a major legal snag.
According to the Press Democrat, a federal judge has vacated the Biden administration’s decision to take land into trust for the Koi Nation, a key step in their proposed Shiloh Resort & Casino project. The ruling came in favor of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which had sued the government. The Graton tribe argued that they were not properly consulted about a project on what they consider their ancestral land.
The judge’s decision was sharply critical of the Department of the Interior, with Graton Rancheria Chairman Greg Sarris calling it a “monumental step toward securing justice.”
The Koi Nation, however, is not giving up. They have vowed to appeal the ruling, stating their belief that the government’s process was “thorough, meticulous, and lawful.” This latest development is another twist in the ongoing legal battle between the two tribes over the proposed casino.