The Koi Nation, a recognized Native American tribe in California, has unveiled its plan to build a new casino in Sonoma County. The outgoing Biden administration approved the land for the casino project on Jan. 13th, along with other tribal requests nationwide.
Koi Nation first announced their plans for the Shiloh Resort and Casino in late 2021 but relied on getting the land into trust by the federal government. Now that the land has been approved, the tribe can move on to the next step in constructing the site.
Plans for the $600 million+ casino include a 200-room hotel, six restaurants, a vineyard, 2,500 gaming machines, and a state-of-the-art entertainment venue.
The Strategic Location
The new casino will be strategically located between Santa Rosa and the Russian River Valley. The site is also near the well-established Graton Resort & Casino, a major gaming facility near Rohnert Park. While rural, the area is well-traveled and close enough to Santa Rosa that they believe the casino can attract high-rollers and other daily guests.
The video below shows how the tribe plans to seamlessly blend the new casino with the surrounding environment.
A World-Class Gaming Experience
The casino’s concept design is set to reflect a world-class gaming experience, offering slot gambling and other gaming machines that will also provide class III gaming options such as video poker, keno, and more. The above graphic rendering leads viewers to believe the casino will also serve as a family-friendly resort besides gaming, offering beautiful views of the area and plenty of activities for younger guests.
The tribe is counting on including a high-end poker room and dedicated spaces for card tournaments to attract competitive poker players from across the state. While the casino will be the main focus, getting guests to fill up the game room floor will be the actual test.
California Tribal Casinos
California has more than 70 tribal casinos with class II and III gaming options. All casinos in the state are on tribal land, and the new Shiloh Resort and Casino will soon be added to that list.
An opening date for the new casino in Sonoma County has not been projected, as the project is just getting underway after receiving federal approval. The project is also expected to be met with resistance from other tribes and state officials.
The state does not allow tribal casinos to operate online, however, players have numerous options including California’s best online casinos from out of state sites.