Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Unveils Preview Casino in Vallejo

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has taken a significant step forward in its efforts to establish a casino in Vallejo, even though the project is not yet fully approved. The tribe has begun offering teaser trailers for a temporary preview casino, signaling its commitment to moving forward with its plans.

The tribe announced its intention to open a small preview casino following a recent federal court victory that restored its gaming eligibility. According to the tribe, the facility will operate a limited number of Class II gaming machines on its sovereign tribal land. These machines will be housed in two existing modular buildings that have been repurposed to function as a single casino space. The location of the preview casino is at 200 Columbus Parkway in Vallejo, and it will span approximately 6,000 square feet combined. The exact opening date remains unknown, but it is expected to occur in January.

Chairman of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Shawn Davis, emphasized the importance of the preview casino in exercising the tribe’s gaming rights and providing economic opportunities for its members and the broader Vallejo community. He also highlighted the tribe’s commitment to working with the city and its neighbors to support and benefit the community as it develops its land.

Understanding Class II Gaming Machines

Class II gaming machines are electronic devices that resemble slot machines but operate on a bingo-based system. Unlike other forms of gambling, these games do not require additional federal or state approval to operate. The preview casino will be operational while the Department of the Interior continues its review of the tribe’s gaming eligibility, consistent with the legal victory achieved in October.

The overall site configuration will remain unchanged, with the current modular buildings and parking lot staying in place. Despite this, the tribe faces opposition from some local casino operators, including Cache Creek, who have criticized the project as misleading.

Plans for a Larger, Permanent Facility

While the preview casino is temporary, the tribe continues to advance plans for a larger, permanent facility. The proposed 160-acre casino would include the construction of 24 single-family residences, a tribal administration building, a parking garage, and a 45-acre biological preserve area located within and adjacent to the city boundary in Solano County, near the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37. The casino, estimated to cost $700 million, would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

According to the tribe, it continues to collaborate with the city to address the potential impacts of the project. However, the larger casino remains in limbo, as Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the tribe’s efforts to invalidate the reconsideration process in October. Additionally, the Department of the Interior acknowledged that its original approval of the proposed casino may have been based on “legal error,” raising questions about whether the project site qualifies for gaming.

Opposition from Local Tribes

There has been significant opposition to the casino project, particularly from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. This tribe argues that the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, which originates from Lake County, would take the ancestral lands of local Patwin tribes and threaten critical environmental and cultural resources at the project site.

Chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Anthony Roberts, disputed the tribe’s claim that one of its ancestors, Chief Shuk Augustine, lived in Vallejo and used the land. He stated that the claim is false and that Augustine never had any ties to the land or surrounding counties. Roberts expressed frustration over the Department of the Interior’s decision, which he believes ignored the evidence provided by his tribe.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is not in favor of the temporary preview casino, arguing that the tribe is moving forward with the project despite warnings from the Department of the Interior and the court. The nation also criticized the move as disrespectful to the Patwin people, who have deep ancestral and cultural ties to the land.

Broader Legal Challenges

The desire to establish a casino in Vallejo has been an ongoing saga. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians originally received a favorable gaming eligibility determination on Jan. 10, 2025, after nearly a decade of litigation and agency review. This decision confirmed the tribe’s Vallejo property as eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), paving the way for long-awaited economic development.

However, in April, the Department of the Interior abruptly reversed course. In October, a federal court held that the agency’s actions violated the Tribe’s constitutional rights and restored gaming eligibility to its land. Since then, the tribe has filed motions in three federal cases seeking dismissal of lawsuits brought by rival casino tribes.