California Governor Opposes Koi Nation and Scotts Valley Casino Projects

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: August 21, 2024 1:27 PM EDT • 1 min 60 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a press conference as we look at his opposition to two planned casino projects. — California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a press conference in an industrial zone near downtown Los Angeles. Photo by: Yannick Peterhans/USA TODAY.

It's one of the populous states where residents can't legally bet at our best sports betting sites or real money online casinos.

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, has formally opposed the proposed casino projects by the Koi Nation and Scotts Valley Band tribes, urging the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to halt their progress.

In his letter, Newsom asks the DOI to "not move forward with the Shiloh Resort and Casino Project (Koi Nation of Northern California) in Sonoma County and the Scotts Valley Casino and Tribal Housing Project (Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians) in Solano County."

He states that he is "concerned that these specific projects are proceeding in a manner that would sidestep the State, ignore the concerns of tribal governments and other local communities, and stretch the "restored lands" exception beyond its legal limits – while failing to adequately consider whether there might be a better way."

Lytton Tribe’s Support

Newsom’s letter also highlights the lack of support for the two proposed casinos, with tribal governments, local communities, and elected officials also taking a stand against the project. This week, the Lytton Rancheria Tribe of California sided with Newsom, applauding him for his letter.

"We thank Governor Gavin Newsom for voicing his concerns about the Shiloh Resort and Casino Project and the Scotts Valley Casino and Tribal Housing Project," said Lytton Rancheria Tribal Chairperson Andy Mejia.

"Unfortunately, these two projects are being recklessly advanced in an unprecedented way without important safeguards – which could have disastrous consequences for the local environment and surrounding communities. Both of these projects are opposed by the native peoples actually indigenous to these sites and supported by tribes from outside Solano and Sonoma Counties."

Others opposing the casinos include the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, the Windsor Town Council, State Senator Mike McGuire, Congressman Mike Thompson, Congressman Jared Huffman, and Senator Alex Padilla, who disapprove of the Koi Nation project. Meanwhile, those contesting the Scotts Valley casino include Solano County, Congressman John Garamendi, and Senator Alex Padilla.

About The Projects

On September 15, 2021, the Koi Nation of Sonoma County announced plans for the Shiloh Resort & Casino, a $600 million project on a 68-acre site near Windsor. The development includes a casino, hotel, and restaurants. The tribe's land trust application and environmental review process are underway, with public comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement due by August 26, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Scotts Valley tribe has been trying to build a casino in Vallejo since 2016. The $700 million, 400,000-square-foot casino resort would include a casino, restaurants, a hotel and spa, and a family entertainment center with a movie theater, arcade, and a bowling alley.

California Leads Tribal Revenue Growth

Last month, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) released its Fiscal Year 2023 tribal gaming report, revealing $41.9 billion in gross gaming revenues, with the Sacramento region leading with just under $12 billion in revenue.

California is home to more than 100 Indian tribes and over 70 tribal casinos, making it the largest Indian gaming state in the nation. However, there is no legal California sports betting market.

Written By:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.