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A preview casino operated by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has closed only seven days after welcoming its first invited guests in Vallejo. A new Interior Department ruling also places the planned $700 million resort back in legal doubt.
Good To Know
- The temporary casino opened on July 24 and closed after the July 31 ruling.
- Interior found no sufficient historical connection between Scotts Valley and the Vallejo parcel.
- The tribe plans to challenge the final decision in federal court.
Interior Reverses Earlier Vallejo Approval
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William H. Kirkland III ruled that the 160-acre parcel does not qualify for gambling under the restored lands exception in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
“Upon reconsideration, I conclude that … the Band has not established a significant historical connection to the Parcel,” Kirkland wrote.
The land remains in federal trust, but the ruling removes the gaming determination granted in January 2025. Interior did not decide whether another IGRA exception could support gambling at the site, leaving Scotts Valley with another possible legal route.
Scotts Valley Chairman Shawn Davis said:
“The administrative record overwhelmingly supports our gaming eligibility.”
Davis confirmed that the tribe would file a federal lawsuit and challenge both the historical findings and the administrative process.
The closure came one week after Scotts Valley opened an invitation-only Class II gaming venue inside modular buildings at 200 Columbus Parkway. The preview operation was intended to generate early activity while the tribe pursued the larger casino development.
Earlier Court Win Did Not Secure The Project
Interior approved the Vallejo land for gaming, housing and tribal government use in January 2025. The proposed development included an eight-story casino, restaurants, bars, a ballroom, 24 homes and a 45-acre biological preserve.
Federal officials withdrew the gaming determination in March 2025. Judge Trevor McFadden later found that Interior gave Scotts Valley too little notice and no adequate chance to respond.
The October 2025 ruling cancelled that withdrawal but allowed Interior to continue reviewing the case. McFadden also warned that federal officials could reject gaming eligibility after completing a lawful process.
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, United Auburn Indian Community and Lytton Rancheria oppose the casino. They argue that the property sits within Patwin ancestral territory and that Scotts Valley lacks the connection required by IGRA.
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