Speak Up Shasta Joins Local Tribes in Seeking Legal Halt
to Strawberry Fields Mega-Casino Project.
Citing “an extraordinary collection of failures, errors, and omissions” in the work of numerous federal government agencies, Speak Up Shasta has proudly joined local Native American tribes in seeking injunctive and declaratory relief from the Redding Rancheria’s efforts to erect a mega-casino at Strawberry fields.
As alleged in the complaint, this Mega-Casino at Strawberry Fields tramples over federal law, as well as the objections of thousands of local residents, serious environmental impacts and vital cultural history for local native tribes.
In July 2024, the Federal Department of Interior issued its Record of Decision in the Redding Rancheria’s proposed mega-casino development at Strawberry Fields, allowing the 221 acres of land to be taken in trust for the Rancheria “for gaming and other purposes”.
The lawsuit filed last week seeks both injunctive and declaratory relief, as well as an administrative stay to halt the Interior’s trust acquisition allowing the project. If granted, this would stop further efforts to develop the site while the court system can adequately review the myriad problems with the proposed project.
Complaint describes evidence that the Rancheria failed properly to identify and evaluate extremely sensitive cultural and historic resources in harm’s way.
The suit asserts significant flaws in both the process used to approve the Rancheria’s Mega-Casino, but brings to light clear evidence that the Rancheria and the Interior Department failed to inform the public and critical state authorities about the project’s harm to ancient historical sites vital to the histories of local tribes. Strawberry fields is the location of the six historic Wintu Villages and the appalling 1846 massacre that saw up to 1,000 Native Americans killed by an expedition of John Fremont. Documents unearthed by consultants working for the Rancheria and Interior clearly demonstrate that construction necessary for the casino resort “includes a prehistoric archeological site.” Interior then failed to involve the State Historic Preservation Officer, or local tribes whose cultural history would be harmed by paving over this historic site. This was in clear violation of the National Historic Preservation Act, the complaint alleges.
The Federal Government Itself Admitted the Project Does Not Satisfy Legal Requirements to Proceed – But Approved it Anyway
The Department of Interior has repeatedly recognized that the Rancheria’s request to take Strawberry Fields into trust for gaming does not satisfy the “restored lands exception” for gaming on new lands under Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The Department itself found the Rancheria did not meet these requirements in a letter dated November 2020 – and yet the same Department approved the project under these grounds in 2024.
As laid out in the complaint, the plain fact is the Rancheria’s operation of a lucrative casino for the last 30 years prohibits the Department from approving the Rancheria’s application for a new casino venture without engaging in the procedures required under the “two-part determination” that would require consultation with local Shasta County communities and tribes. Given the thousands of local residents on-record against this harmful project, the Rancheria has tried to avoid this process – and the federal government broke its own laws in allowing them to move ahead.
Additional problems with the project, including irreparable harm to Shasta County and the Sacramento River’s habitat and protected species, are detailed in the suit which again can be found here.
What is Next for the Fight
to Save Strawberry Fields?
Speak Up Shasta and its co-plaintiffs expect an answer from the courts within the next 30 days. Meanwhile, the Shasta community remains in strong opposition to this harmful project. If you have not signed the Speak Up Shasta petition, please do so below, so we can keep you informed about our ongoing efforts.
Sign the Petition