The Coquille Indian Tribe recently received federal permission to build a casino off the interstate in Medford, a cap to a rocky 13-year public process.
The Department of the Interior signed a record of decision in the matter Jan. 10, the Oregon Journalism Project reported.
Oregon Business – January 21, 2025
Rogue Valley Times – January 15, 2025
Chair Brenda Meade writes in Newsweek: In the history of Native American tribes, there is a far too common theme—a court will issue a ruling or Congress will pass a law that reasonably protects our people or fairly guarantees our rights. And then as soon as those well-reasoned protections or rights become inconvenient, or political pressure dials up, those promises go out the window.
…Recently, a handful of tribes in California and Oregon who oppose the Coquille Indian Tribe’s plan to build a new casino in Medford have claimed we are “reservation shopping” and looking to add land to which we are not justified – an unfair and inaccurate accusation. These tribes apparently fear that our proposed casino would disrupt their entrenched monopoly on gaming in the region.
But with this accusation, they are creating a reckless and baseless precedent for political attacks against hundreds of tribes like ours who have worked to legally rebuild our reservations while carefully following layers of laws and regulations. And it hinders our ability to fund essential services like health care and education through gaming….
The two Oregon tribes hoping to open the urban casinos — one in Salem, the capital, and the other in Medford, 30 miles north of the California border — say the projects should be viewed as opportunities, hard-earned and long overdue, to finance initiatives to house and heal their members, particularly their elders, while creating jobs for all local residents.
“It’s about self-determination,” said Brenda Meade, chair of the Coquille tribe, whose proposal for a casino in Medford, 170 miles from the tribe’s headquarters, has generated heated opposition. “We will decide what’s best for our people.
It’s been nearly four years since the federal government said no to the Coquille Indian Tribe, denying its request to put a casino on land that the tribe owns in South Medford. The denial did not stick, and in spite of some opposition from other regional tribes, the process has resumed.
Earlier this month we spoke with representatives of the City of Medford, which was once opposed to the casino, but now are neutral.
Next up, Judy Farm, CEO of Tribal One, the Coquille tribe’s economic development arm, and Jen Procter Andrews, the vice-chair of the Coquille Tribe join the JX to talk about the project going forward.
Bear Creek Golf Center has seen a dramatic increase in business this winter after an overhaul to their driving range last fall.
Bear Creek Golf Center opens renovated driving range, bringing an upgrade to the Rogue Valley’s only covered driving range.
