The Wintu Tribe of Northern California, the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, and Speak Up Shasta Association are challenging the US Department of the Interior’s decision to place land into trust for the Redding Rancheria
Two Native American tribes and a community group are suing to stop a tribal casino project in Northern California. They have taken their case to a federal court in Washington, D.C. The lawsuit argues that the chosen casino site called Strawberry Fields is historically and culturally important as it is allegedly located where the 1846 Sacramento River Massacre happened.
Tribes Oppose Casino Plan, Claim Site Tied to 1846 Massacre
The Wintu Tribe of Northern California, the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, and Speak Up Shasta Association are fighting the US Department of the Interior‘s choice to put the land in trust for the Redding Rancheria. These groups claim that the approval process did not consider key historical facts and broke several federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
The Sacramento River Massacre happened on April 8, 1846. US forces attacked Indigenous Californians on a large scale for the first time. Captain John C. Frémont led a military group that met many Wintu and nearby tribes. These tribes had gathered by the river to catch salmon, as they did every year. People at that time said that soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Indigenous people, including women and children.
It is not known where the massacre took place. However, old records, including Frémont’s own diary, hint that it was near the Strawberry Fields area. Stories passed down by Wintu elders back this up. So do studies done by language experts in the 1800s and by modern researchers who study human cultures.
Casino Expansion Plan Challenged Over Alleged Massacre Site and Environmental Impact
The Redding Rancheria, a tribe with federal recognition, consists of members from the Wintu, Pit River, and Yana tribes. For years, they have tried to move their Win-River Resort & Casino to a bigger location. Their new plan includes a resort with a casino housing 1,300 gaming machines and 36 tables, a hotel with 250 rooms, shops, and a conference center. The tribe believes this development will boost their economy and help them stand on their own feet.
On the flip side, those against the project say building the casino would mean digging up and changing land where their ancestors once lived and died. They think this would disrespect a place that holds great cultural and religious meaning to them.
The lawsuit claims the US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) gave the green light to the land transfer without doing a proper historical review. It also questions how the land is classified under IGRA saying that because the Redding Rancheria already has a casino, it cannot get more gaming land without going through a tougher approval process.
Apart from historical and legal issues, the people suing bring up environmental risks. The planned site sits close to the Sacramento River where several fish species at risk live, including Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. The lawsuit argues that more light, traffic, and building work could hurt the river’s ecosystem.
The Redding Rancheria says its casino project has gone through almost 20 years of environmental and economic reviews. The tribe has also pointed out that opposition to the project citing the massacre site has only surfaced in recent years, after previous rounds of consultation and review.
