It's been nearly four years since the federal government said no to the Coquille tribe, denying its request to put a casino on land the tribe owns in South Medford. But the denial did not stick, and the process has resumed.
Why? What would have been a lengthy process involving environmental impact statements and other paperwork was cut short by the earlier denial. And then the Interior Department--under a different president--opted to at least complete the process.
The Coquille proposal for a Medford casino has plenty of opponents, including other tribes with casinos in the I-5 corridor. The Medford City Council, once on the record opposing the casino proposal, is now officially neutral. Councilors Nick Card and Jessica Ayres talk about the view from city hall.