Scotts Valley Band Closes Vallejo Preview Casino After Federal Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians halted operations at its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, right after the U.S. Department of the Interior removed gaming eligibility from the tribe's trust parcel. Officials cited insufficient historical connection to the site as the basis for the withdrawal, and the small-scale venue, which had run for only a short period, shut down immediately. The facility served as a demonstration project meant to show the viability of a larger resort development, yet its brief run ended with more than 100 employees facing job losses. Federal reviewers reached their conclusion after examining the parcel's ties to the tribe's documented history, and the decision took effect without advance notice to the operators. ## Details of the Federal Action The Department of the Interior issued its ruling in August 2026, reversing prior determinations that had allowed limited gaming on the Vallejo land. Agency records show that examiners found the parcel lacked the required ancestral or historical links under federal Indian gaming standards, which triggered the eligibility cutoff. The tribe had acquired the site through a trust process years earlier, and earlier federal reviews had cleared it for gaming activities before this latest assessment. That shift prompted the immediate closure, as the Preview Casino could no longer operate under the tribe's existing approvals. Staff members received notification on the same day the eligibility changed, and the facility locked its doors before the next scheduled shift. ## Tribe's Position and Legal Context The Scotts Valley Band described the withdrawal as inconsistent with earlier federal findings and with a 2025 court ruling that had addressed similar eligibility questions. Tribal leaders stated they would challenge the decision through a new lawsuit filed under the Administrative Procedure Act, which allows review of agency actions for compliance with existing law. Court documents from the prior case had upheld certain aspects of the tribe's land status, and the band maintains that the current determination overlooks those precedents. Legal observers note the Administrative Procedure Act route focuses on whether the Department followed proper procedures and considered all relevant evidence before acting. The tribe plans to present additional historical records during the litigation to demonstrate the parcel's connection to Pomo heritage. ## Employment and Operational Impact More than 100 workers lost shifts once the Preview Casino closed, and many had been hired specifically for the demonstration phase of the project. The venue featured a limited number of gaming positions and support roles, all of which ended without severance details released at the time of shutdown. Local workforce data from Solano County indicates similar temporary casino projects have created short-term hiring surges followed by abrupt layoffs when approvals change. The tribe had positioned the Preview Casino as a testing ground for a full-scale resort that would include expanded gaming, lodging, and entertainment options, yet the federal action halted those plans at the earliest stage. Construction timelines for the larger development remain on hold pending the outcome of the planned lawsuit. ## Next Steps in the Dispute The Scotts Valley Band announced its intent to file suit in federal district court, seeking to restore eligibility for the trust parcel. Attorneys for the tribe will argue that the Department of the Interior failed to account for all submitted evidence and deviated from standards applied in previous decisions. A Bureau of Indian Affairs review process typically requires tribes to establish historical ties before gaming can proceed on newly acquired lands, and the current case centers on how those ties were evaluated for the Vallejo site. The tribe also referenced the 2025 ruling as binding precedent that supports continued eligibility. ## Conclusion The closure marks a sudden end to the Preview Casino's short operation and sets the stage for further legal proceedings under the Administrative Procedure Act. The Scotts Valley Band continues to prepare its challenge while more than 100 former employees seek new positions in the region. Federal eligibility rules for tribal gaming parcels remain central to the dispute, with the outcome of the upcoming lawsuit determining whether operations can resume.