After a decade of anticipation and legal tussle, the Coquille Indian Tribe is one step closer to realizing its dream of a second casino. On November 20th, the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs said it would be releasing a final environmental impact statement which will allow the Southern Oregon tribe to build its off-reservation casino project in Medford.
The decision by the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) finally puts an end to the controversy surrounding the project that first sparked discussion in 2013. About 12 years ago, the Coquille tribe submitted a fee-to-trust application to the Department of Interior requesting permission to establish its casino in Medford, a move that was met with opposition by the city council.
However, in March 2023, the city council changed its hostile stance to the casino project with Resolution 2023-23 to the dismay of other Southern Oregon and Northern California tribes. Many tribal leaders believe the city council’s backtracking on the opposition played a role in the BIA’s eventual decision.
The BIA is expected to issue the record of its decision within 30 days it notified the public of its final environmental impact statement. During this period, the bureau will accept comments from community members and the general public. Whether potential comments will sway the record of decision is quite unlikely but remains to be seen.
Oregon governor Tina Kotek and senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have voiced strong disapproval of the BIA’s notification, aligning themselves with other tribal leaders in opposition.
“I am disappointed by the Biden administration’s decision to move the Coquille Indian Tribe’s Medford casino application forward,” Sen. Merkley told reporters. “Sen. Wyden and I have opposed the application for years out of deep concern for the new and likely damaging gaming precedent it would set in the state. I also remain concerned about the opposition voiced about this application by several of Oregon’s federally recognized tribes. During the coming 30-day comment period, I encourage everyone to share their views.”
Sen Wyden also voiced his preference for the status quo speaking to news platforms on Thursday, November 21:
“This appears to set Oregon up on a path where decision makers 3,000 miles away spawn a gambling arms race, changing our state forever and thoughtlessly tossing out the long-standing agreement come to in Oregon by Oregonians that all tribes should share an equal opportunity at success rather than an endless effort of oneupmanship. This recklessly risky route would lead to real harm, and I encourage everybody to weigh in during this comment period so Oregon and Tribes can maintain the historic and balanced approach that’s fair for all.”
Beyond the opposition of stakeholders, there are arguments of the potential effects that the decision of the bureau may have on inter-tribal interests. The gambling industry in Oregon is quite complex with eight of its nine federally recognized tribes operating casinos in the state.
Although state governors have tried to prevent tribes from having more than one reservation casinos, some tribes have managed to build two resorts. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians is currently the only group with two casinos across different counties, a feat which the Coquille Tribe now looks to match.
Tribal groups with or proposing multiple casino resorts contend that the one-tribe, one-casino policy is not law and they are not bound to respect the proposition under any agreement. In addition, these tribes argue that their reservations are farther to city centers than those of the others, prompting the need for off-reservation projects, like the proposed Medford casino.
Opposing tribes have stated for years that moving forward with the Medford project will cut at least 20% into their revenue. However, Ray Doering, a spokesperson for the Coquille tribe believes that the Class II casino proposed by the tribe will help the group “achieve its own self-sufficiency and self-determination.”