Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Ends Vallejo Preview Casino Operations After Interior Department Ruling
Sam Hayes · Aug 8, 2026
Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Ends Vallejo Preview Casino Operations After Interior Department Ruling
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, effective late Sunday night in August 2026, and the shutdown came directly after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe's Vallejo trust parcel on grounds of insufficient historical connection to the land.
The facility had run as a small-scale operation designed to show viability ahead of a planned larger resort project, and more than 100 workers lost their positions when doors closed immediately following the federal notice.
Background of the Preview Casino Project
The Preview Casino opened only recently as a limited demonstration site, and the tribe positioned the venue as proof that gaming could succeed at the Vallejo location before committing resources to a full-scale resort development, yet the Interior Department's reversal halted those plans without advance warning beyond the formal decision.
Observers note that the parcel in question sits within Solano County, and the tribe had secured trust status for the land through earlier federal processes, but the latest determination found the historical ties insufficient under current criteria for gaming eligibility under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Details of the Federal Decision
The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the withdrawal after reviewing documentation, and the ruling cited a lack of demonstrated historical connection that would support gaming activities on the specific parcel, while prior approvals had allowed the temporary operation to proceed on an interim basis.
Those who've studied similar cases know the Administrative Procedure Act provides the primary avenue for tribes to challenge such federal determinations, and the Scotts Valley Band has already announced its intent to file a new lawsuit that will argue the reversal contradicts earlier findings along with a 2025 court ruling that addressed comparable eligibility questions.
Immediate Impact on Employees and Operations
More than 100 employees received notice of the immediate closure, and the tribe coordinated final shifts through late Sunday night to complete an orderly shutdown, whereas many staff members had joined the operation expecting longer-term employment tied to the larger resort vision.
The temporary nature of the Preview Casino meant limited infrastructure and revenue streams compared with permanent facilities, yet the sudden end still disrupted local hiring patterns in Vallejo and surrounding areas where the tribe had recruited workers for table games, slots, and hospitality roles.
Legal Path Forward Under the Administrative Procedure Act
The tribe's planned lawsuit will target the reversal itself rather than the original trust acquisition, and attorneys expect the filing to emphasize inconsistencies between the new eligibility finding and previous Interior Department positions that had supported the Preview Casino's launch, along with the 2025 court precedent that upheld broader tribal gaming rights in similar circumstances.
Court records from the earlier ruling show judges examined historical evidence and agency interpretations, and the Scotts Valley Band intends to present comparable arguments in the new case while seeking to restore gaming eligibility for the Vallejo parcel.
Context Within California Tribal Gaming Landscape
California maintains numerous tribal gaming compacts, and several bands operate casinos under agreements that balance state regulation with federal trust land rules, yet eligibility disputes like the one affecting the Scotts Valley Band continue to surface when parcels lack clear historical ties under current federal standards.
State gaming regulators have tracked the Preview Casino's brief run, and local economic reports noted modest contributions from the temporary site before the closure took effect, while the tribe now shifts focus to litigation rather than immediate reopening efforts.
Conclusion
The closure marks a significant setback for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' Vallejo project, and the pending federal lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act will determine whether the tribe can revive gaming eligibility based on contradictions with prior findings and the 2025 court decision, while over 100 former workers await outcomes that could reshape employment prospects in the region.