Judge Thomas Coffin ruled last Tuesday in favor of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw, upholding the special status of their 38 acres of land, necessary for the construction of a casino. In an attempt to thwart the tribe’s plans, Oregon’s former governor filed a lawsuit last year challenging Secretary of Interior Gale Norton’s decision to grant the land special status. The tribes are now performing the necessary assessments and hope to break ground for the casino in a few months.
