When Dino Beltran scans a 68-acre vineyard in the heart of Sonoma County, he sees land where his ancestors traded goods with other tribes... But Beltran also sees a historic opportunity: It's the site of the Koi Nation's proposed $600 million casino and resort, about an hour north of San Francisco. It would create a steady revenue stream and what Beltran sees as a long-overdue form of redress.
'It is our time to control our own destiny, our own land and our rights as a federally recognized tribe,' said Beltran, the Koi's vice chair.
As the Koi waits for federal approval, its casino bid has been mired in controversy. Leaders of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, another tribe that claims the area as its ancestral land, call the Koi's connection to the land tenuous and its proposal an 'illegal land grab.'
The fight is one of several taking place across the country, as nearly two dozen tribes try to take advantage of new rules under the Biden administration making it easier to acquire land for gambling operations.
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