After 12 years in the making, the Coquille Indian Tribe’s plans to build The Cedars at Bear Creek casino in Medford came to fruition on Jan. 10 when the U.S. Department of Interior signed a Record of Decision to approve it.
The decision is a first in the realm of Oregon tribal gambling. It is the first off-reservation casino to be approved by the federal government in Oregon, approximately 170 miles away from Coquille tribe’s reservation in North Bend.
The move has garnered ongoing pushback against both the Coquille tribe and the Biden administration from several Oregon legislators as well as multiple U.S. tribes over concerns the Coquille tribe’s casino will set a precedent which could negatively impact tribes for years to come.
