January 9, 2024 — The Koi Nation of Northern California (Koi Nation) announced today a coalition of elected officials, public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments, and members of the public that have voiced their backing for its proposed Shiloh Resort & Casino project in unincorporated Sonoma County.

All together, the Koi Nation’s project has won the support of

• The Northern California Carpenters Union
• Lake County Sheriff Bryan Martin (ret.)
• Santa Rosa City Councilmember Tom Schwedhelm (ret.)
• Actor and environmentalist Peter Coyote
• Sonoma County Fire District (letter of intent)
• Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe
• Bishop Paiute Tribe
• Hopland Band of Pomo Indians
• Ione Band of Miwok Indians
• Guidiville Indian Rancheria
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
• Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Tejon Indian Tribe
• Jamul Indian Village of California
• Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria
• Chicken Ranch Rancheria
• Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation
• Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
• Redding Rancheria
• Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians
• Yurok Tribe

“The Koi Nation is overjoyed its proposed project has received overwhelming support from a broad cross-section of the community, fellow tribes, and the public,” said Darin Beltran, Chairman of the Koi Nation Tribal Council. “The coalition of our supporters share a recognition of the project’s immense value potential for the Sonoma County community and the moral imperative underlying our effort to right historical wrongs and reestablish our people’s tribal land base.”

The announcement of support comes as the Koi Nation awaits the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) approval of the Environmental Assessment (EA) of its proposed project. On September 12, 2023, the BIA issued a Notice of Availability for the EA, initiating a 60-day public review period which concluded on November 13, 2023. This EA is available to view here.

“The Koi Nation believes it has become increasingly important for tribal governments to advocate for one another as we seek to establish and exercise the sovereign rights we all share under federal law,” said Dino Beltran, Vice Chairman of the Koi Nation’s Tribal Council and its Director of Development. “It is our hope that tribal governments continue to join the eighteen of our brother and sister tribes that have already voiced support and advocacy for our people’s long overdue effort to build a self-sustaining economic future through the placement of land into trust for gaming purposes.”

The Shiloh Resort & Casino will be a destination resort that will provide an economic base for the Koi Nation’s citizens, built on property acquired after having been landless since long before the federal government forced the sale of the uninhabitable Lower Lake Rancheria in the 1950s.

With a 400-room hotel, entertainment venues and a variety of gaming options, the resort will provide income and jobs for the Tribe and its members as well as economic benefits to the surrounding community.

Members of the public who wish to join in solidarity with the Koi Nation’s coalition of supporters are encouraged to visit www.KoiNationSonoma.com/support to submit a letter of support to the BIA.

About the Koi Nation
The Koi Nation’s mission is to empower our people to achieve a better way of life and to maintain tribal integrity and honor through responsive government. We are committed to protecting and exercising our inherent sovereign rights as a federally recognized tribe to their fullest extent, including obtaining land to re-establish a permanent land base for our people who have lived in this region for thousands of years, and creating self-sustaining economic activity to support the tribal government and its people, as well as benefitting the entire community of Sonoma County. For more information visit www.KoiNationSonoma.com.