Scotts Valley Band Closes Preview Casino After Interior Department Reverses Gaming Eligibility
Blake Braun · Aug 6, 2026
Scotts Valley Band Closes Preview Casino After Interior Department Reverses Gaming Eligibility
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California immediately after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe's Vallejo trust parcel, and the small-scale Class II facility that had operated briefly and employed over 100 workers shut down late Sunday night following that federal reversal.
Sequence of Events Leading to Shutdown
The tribe had opened the preview operation as a limited Class II gaming site while pursuing a much larger $700 million resort project on the same trust land, yet the Interior Department issued a final determination that rejected gaming eligibility because the parcel lacked sufficient historical connection to the Scotts Valley Band, and this decision prompted the immediate closure rather than allowing continued operations during any appeal process.
Observers note that the reversal came after the tribe had already invested in staffing and setup for the temporary facility, which ran for only a short period before the federal action forced the doors shut, and the tribe described the determination as unlawful while announcing plans to challenge it through new litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Tribe's Response and Legal Strategy
Representatives for the Scotts Valley Band stated that the decision does not end the broader development plans, and the larger resort project remains delayed but not abandoned even though the preview casino could no longer operate once eligibility was withdrawn, and the tribe intends to file suit in federal court to contest the Interior Department's findings on historical ties to the Vallejo parcel.
According to the tribe's public statements the closure affects more than 100 workers who had been employed at the Class II facility, and the band emphasized that it will pursue all available legal avenues to restore gaming eligibility while keeping the full-scale casino vision intact despite the current setback.
Impact on Operations and Employees
The preview casino had provided a modest revenue stream and local jobs during its brief run, yet the sudden shutdown eliminated those positions without advance warning once the federal determination arrived, and the tribe indicated that it would work to support affected staff members while litigation proceeds over the coming months.
Data from similar cases shows that tribes often face extended delays when Interior Department eligibility rulings are contested in court, and the Scotts Valley Band's situation follows this pattern because the Administrative Procedure Act challenge will likely require months of filings and hearings before any resolution emerges.
Background on the Vallejo Trust Parcel
The trust land in Vallejo was placed into federal trust for the Scotts Valley Band specifically to support gaming development, yet the Interior Department concluded that the parcel did not meet the historical connection standards required for Class III gaming eligibility under current regulations, and this finding directly triggered the withdrawal that ended the preview casino's operations.
Those who've followed tribal gaming approvals know that such determinations hinge on documented ties between the tribe and the specific land parcel, and the Scotts Valley Band now seeks to overturn the ruling through litigation that will examine whether the agency's review properly considered all available historical evidence.
Future Outlook for the Resort Project
The $700 million resort development faces an indefinite pause while the legal challenge moves forward, although the tribe has confirmed that it has not canceled the larger plans and continues to view the Vallejo site as viable once eligibility questions are resolved in court, and this approach mirrors strategies used by other tribes that encountered similar federal reversals in past years.
Final determination rejecting Class III gaming eligibility for Scotts Valley Band's Vallejo trust land remains the key document under dispute, and the band's lawsuit will test whether the Interior Department's application of historical connection criteria aligns with statutory requirements under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Conclusion
The closure of the Preview Casino marks a significant interruption for the Scotts Valley Band's Vallejo initiative, yet the tribe's decision to pursue litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act keeps the possibility of renewed gaming operations open while the larger resort project stays on hold, and the outcome will depend on how federal courts interpret the sufficiency of historical connections presented in the upcoming case.