A federal judge has ordered the reversal of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s approval of a land-into-trust application for the Koi Nation of Northern California, halting plans for a $600 million casino-resort near Windsor.
In a Sept. 22 order, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin adopted a final judgment proposed by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which vacates the trust acquisition and blocks the project. The ruling follows a Sept. 2 decision in which Lin found Interior violated federal law in approving the Koi Nation’s application to take the $12 million, 68-acre parcel into trust in January 2025.
“This final judgment secures long-overdue justice for our tribe and reaffirms our sovereign rights,” Greg Sarris, Graton Rancheria tribal chairman, said in a statement to Tribal Business News. “We look forward to working with the Interior Department to ensure a smooth…
