Oregon’s Coquille Indian Tribe’s decade-long effort to open a new casino in Medford in Jackson County, has about as long been opposed by four Northern California and Oregon tribes—the Karuk, Cow Creek, Elk Valley and Tolowa Dee-ni’—NBC16 reported March 15.
In early March the tribes sent a letter to Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland inviting her to visit them before allowing an exception to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that would allow the tribe to operate a casino in Medford.
In 1989 Congress passed the Coquille Restoration Act that created a five-county restoration area where the tribe can put land into trust. To build the casino the DOI needs to put 2.4 acres into trust.
One of the objecting tribes, the Karuk, claims that area is 150 miles from the Coquille reservation while only 50 miles from its reservation.
Karuk Chairman Buster Attebery told NBC16: “With this project, there was no consultation with any of the tribes in the area. The tribes have had thousands of years of best practices. Why would you not want to consult with the people who live in those areas? He added, “The economic consequences could be huge. It would devastate our ability to provide healthcare, public safety, social services.”
Coquille Tribal Chair Brenda Meade retorts that the Act stipulated the land be within the five counties, which it is.
She told NBC16: “It is heartbreaking to us that other tribes, including tribes in California, continue to attack our sovereignty and seek to limit our economic development rights within the reservation restoration area specifically defined by Congress…”
She said the tribe hopes the Biden administration will honor the Act.
