The Coquille Indian Tribe has secured the long-awaited federal approval to develop its Medford casino project. The outgoing Biden administration has signed off on the casino project granting the Medford property “into trust,” making it part of the tribe’s sovereign lands.
The Coquille Tribal Casino project in Medford has been in the works for 12 years. Now, with the final approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Coquille Indian Tribe has cleared its biggest hurdle in the journey to create a second gaming facility in the state.
This approval grants the tribe the authority to establish a casino on a parcel of land that the federal government has now placed “into trust”. This decision follows an extensive review process, including environmental assessments, input from the community, and consultations with local and state government officials.
The federal government’s newly approved tribal land in Oregon will allow the Coquille Indian Tribe to move forward with plans to build a 30,000-square-foot casino on the 2.42–acre site. However, opponents to the initiative are expected to take their case to the state’s highest court.
The Coquille Indian Tribe currently operates one casino, the Mill, on a North Bend, Oregon reservation.
The Uphill Battle
Governor Tina Kotek has expressed a one-tribe, one-casino policy as she openly opposes gambling expansion in the state. Other tribes have also spoken out against off-site tribal casinos, fearing local Oregon casinos could bear the hurt from the new off-site locations.
There are currently nine tribal casinos in the state, all located on tribal land. The state’s casinos can legally offer class III gaming options, including slots gambling and table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette.
Opponents Chime In
The Coquille Indian Tribe also has some support from other tribes looking to build off-site. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians also want to make a second casino and have their eyes set on Salem. The Siletz has noted that the governor’s current “one casino policy” is not law.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden has criticized casino expansion in the state and believes Biden’s administration’s signing off on the land battle is wrong for the state. Wyden told the media, “I will fight this senseless decision with all the options available, including the Congressional Review Act that empowers elected representatives to battle back against rogue federal agency decisions like this one.”