The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has announced plans to contest the recent ruling made by the US Department of the Interior (DOI), which retracted the gaming eligibility determination for the tribe’s trust land in Vallejo, California.
The DOI’s recent reversal occurred just after the tribe launched a class II “preview” casino on their 160-acre property, which they envisioned as a precursor to a grand $700 million casino development at the entrance of California’s wine country. This decision effectively eliminates the tribe’s ability to conduct gaming on the property unless overturned through an appeal.
The planned eight-story casino was set to feature various restaurants, bars, a ballroom, 24 tribal residences, an administration facility, along with a 45-acre ecological preserve. This would have marked the tribe’s inaugural casino, representing a comprehensive economic development initiative aimed at creating jobs, housing, and sustainable revenue for tribal members.
Historical Connection Under Scrutiny
The DOI determined that the tribe did not fulfill the “restored lands” criteria under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This provision allows certain federally recognized tribes to establish casinos on lands restored to them after obtaining federal acknowledgment, as long as they meet specific conditions, which include demonstrating ancestral ties to the area.
The DOI asserted that the Scotts Valley Band had not sufficiently proven a significant historical connection to the Vallejo site, contradicting the Biden administration’s previous finding that the land was eligible for gaming under the restored lands provision.
This new ruling will likely satisfy several local tribes who have disputed the Scotts Valley casino in court.
Operators of Cache Creek Casino, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, along with the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation—both of whom are Patwin tribes—claimed that the Vallejo site rests within their ancestral territory rather than that of the Pomo peoples, alleging that the federal government wrongly validated the gaming determination and accusing the Scotts Valley Band of engaging in “reservation shopping.”
The United Auburn Indian Community, responsible for the Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, initiated a separate lawsuit, contending that the DOI’s initial approval was flawed and that the agency neglected to consult with affected local tribes.
Allegations of Political Motivation
The Scotts Valley Band has previously argued that the DOI’s choice to reassess its gaming eligibility was not a legitimate administrative revision, but rather “an unlawful and politically charged endeavor” orchestrated by lobbyists for the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
In a statement to Tribal Business News, Scotts Valley Band Chairman Shawn Davis asserted that the administrative documentation “strongly supports the tribe’s gaming eligibility” and expressed intentions to challenge the ruling in federal court.
The tribe has also announced a temporary halt to gaming operations at its preview casino as it pursues legal remedies.