Four tribes based in California and Oregon have asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to deny an off-reservation casino the Coquille Indian Tribe wants to build in Medford, Oregon, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported March 22.
The Coquille Indian Tribe, based near the coast of Oregon, has sought for more than a decade to put a bowling alley it purchased in Medford into trust for a casino. The land is more than 150 miles from its reservation.
The opposing tribes, including the Karuk Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Elk Valley Rancheria and the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland asking her to block putting the land into trust. The BIA is part of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior (DOI). The BIA is currently conducting an environmental assessment of the project.
In their letter, the tribes asked Haaland to visit their reservations in northern California and southern Oregon to get an idea of the effect the Medford casino would have on their lives and hear their side of the story. They claim such a casino would violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and cause them “irreparable harm.”
They warn that approving an off-reservation casino in Medford would open the floodgates to other tribes trying to site casinos a long distance from their traditional homelands. Such off-reservation casinos are relatively rare and usually involve the governor of the state where the casino would be located.
Cow Creek Band Chairwoman Carla Keene, interviewed by the Capital Chronicle, warned that her tribe believes the revenue from its Seven Feathers Casino could fall at least 25 percent if the Medford casino is built. Their reservation is 70 miles from Medford. The casino funds many services, such as medical services, for the tribe, she said.
Keene said, “It is a slippery slope,” and added, “I would hope that Secretary Haaland would see the necessity to say ‘no.’ This is not a good idea for the tribes, and this is going to cause harm. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for all tribes across the United States, not just one, and this is affecting more than just Cow Creek and it is only benefiting one tribe.”
Per the Capital Chronicle, Coquille Tribal Chairwoman Brenda Meade responded, “It is heartbreaking 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 added, “Secretary Haaland and the Biden administration have expressed their support for tribal sovereignty, and we trust they will honor this commitment to enable our continued economic development.”
Besides the four tribes, two previous Oregon governors, John Kitzhaber and Kate Brown, have opposed the Medford casino, citing the idea that tribes should only have casinos on their reservations. So does current Gov. Tina Kotek, who took office last year. Members of the state’s congressional delegation also oppose the casino.
The DOi rejected the casino in 2020, but in 2021 the tribe tried again with a new department secretary. Haaland consented for the proposal to move forward.
