This page contains archived news updates for Scotts Valley Casino Resort from 2025.These items were originally posted on the casino's profile page and have been preserved here as part ofthe 500 Nations legacy news archive. Major stories from this year may also appear as standalone articlesin the main News section.
Vallejo Casino: 'Preview casino' opening in January
December 28, 2025
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians plan to open a temporary gaming casino as early as January 2026 on their tribal land near I-80 and Highway 37 in Vallejo, according to a report by the Daily News.
The casino will be a small "preview casino" housed in modular buildings and operating Class II gaming machines. The Class II machines gingo-like slot machines where jackpots are paid from players pool rather than by the house.
The Daily Report article says statement from the Scotts Valley tribe said: "The tribe plans to operate a limited number of Class II gaming machines on its sovereign tribal land, repurposing the existing modular buildings on site to serve as the casino."
The statement also included this from the tribal chairman:
"This facility will allow us to exercise our gaming rights and provide meaningful economic opportunity for our members and all Vallejo residents while we work on our permanent facility. We are committed to working with the city and our neighbors to support and benefit the community as we develop our land.
"We are moving forward despite the misleading opposition from a small handful of greedy casino operators led by Cache Creek. It has taken generations of struggle for us to get to this point, and we are looking forward to building shared prosperity. Vallejo is our home; we are here to stay and here to make a difference in our community."
- Shawn Davis, Chairman of Scotts Valley Band
The preview casino will be temporary and will operate while the U.S. Department of Interior reevaluates the department's previous casino approval announced on Jan. 10, 2025. In November, the U.S. District Court in DC ruled that during the reevaluation, the Scotts Valley tribe may proceed with its casino plans.
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians filed three separate motions last Friday to dismiss lawsuits previously filed by tribal casino operators for the purpose of blocking the Vallejo casino project. The tribe is seeking to clear these suits while the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) reconsiders its approval of the Vallejo project.
The tribe filed the motions just one day after the DOJ notified the tribe that its original casino approval may have been based on a "legal error" and its reconsideration process is being accelerated. (See next story)
The DOI is reconsidering whether the Vallejo casino site qualifies as "restored lands" under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This designation is an essential requirement since the casino would be built on off-reservation land.
The Scotts Valley Band is trying to dismiss the following court cases that challenge the Vallejo casino restored lands qualification. All three tribes have casino interests with high financial risks if the Vallejo casino is built.
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation v. U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation owns Cache Creek Casino Resort in Yolo County about 40 miles west of Sacramento and 70 miles from San Francisco.
Koi Nation of Northern California v. DOI Shiloh Resort & Casino The Koi Nation is seeking federal approval to build a new $600 million casino trdoty named Shiloh Resort & Casino off Highway 101 in Sonoma County near Windsor.
Graton Rancheria v. DOI The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria own Graton Rancheria v. DOI Graton Resort Casino in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County,
If Scotts Valley wins the dismissals, it will leave the DOI's internal review as the last and sole decision hurdle. It could also answer the "restored lands" issue for the DOI. On the other hand, if the dismissals fail, the Vallejo casino project could face immediate jeopardy with the DOI reulting in rejection of the Vallejo casino.
The future of the proposed $700M Scotts Valley Casino Resort in Vallejo, California is now more uncertain after the U.S. department of Interior (DOI) sent a letter dated Dec. 5 to the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians stating the DOI's original casino approval "may have been based on a legal error." This acknowledgment is now central to the agency's reevaluation process.
The letter further said the department will now "accelerate" its ongoing reconsideration of the tribe's casino application and will complete its review "as quickly as possible."
The DOI placed its original approval on hold last April to reconsider whether the tribe's 128-acre, off-reservation land in Vallejo qualifies as "restored lands" under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Several opposing tribes had filed lawsuits claiming overriding ancestral ties to the Vallejo site.
The new DOI letter casts new uncertainty over the outcome of the Vallejo casino project. A final decision by the department is expected in 2026.
Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for DC ruled Friday that the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians may proceed with plans to build a casino in Vallejo. However, the judge also upheld the authority of the US Interior Department (DOI) to reevaluate the gaming eligibility of the casino site as "restored lands" under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
There were three main findings in the judge's ruling:
Vallejo Casino Project Can Proceed The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has the right to continue development of a casino on a 128-acre site in Vallejo, CA.
DOI Authority Upheld The Department of Interior had the authority to temporarily rescind its Jan. 10, 2025 approval for reevaluation.
Violation of Tribe's Constitutional Rights The DOI violated the tribe's constitutional rights to due process by suddenly rescinding its decision without notice or proper procedures. The DOI had violated the tribe's Fifth Amendment because the tribe had "a legitimate claim of entitlement" to the January 10 casino approval and the DOI had given "too little process to rescind it."
What's next? The temporary recension of the casino eligibility remains in effect while the Interior Department continues its reevaluation. However, the department is now required to conduct its review with sound procedures and more transparency. Any future DOI decision for a permanent reversal must give the tribe advance notice, a clear rational, and an opportunity to respond.
Timeline for Finial Decision: The Interior Department has not given a timeline for reaching a final decision in its reevaluation of the Vallejo casino project.
Vallejo Casino's Future in Legal Limbo | Sonoma County
October 12, 2025
The $700 million Vallejo casino planned by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has entered into legal limbo. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) revoked its earlier approval and is reconsidering challenges from opposing tribes to the Scotts Valley Tribe's historical ties to the land. There is also ongoing litigation filed by other tribes, which could take years to resolve in the courts.
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Vallejo casino project in legal limbo - Courtesy of CBS News Sacramento, Oct 2, 2025. Available from YouTube
The Vallejo casino land, which is owned by the Scotts Valley tribe, is 160 acres near Interstate 80 and Highway 37 in Vallejo. The DOI transferred the land into federal trust last January for the tribe to build their casino plus tribal offices and housing. This land remains in trust, but the casino construction is on hold pending a final decision by the DOI.
Several lawsuits against the casino have been file by rival tribes. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and Kletsel Dehe Nation filed a case in March 2025 claiming the casino site lies within the Patwin ancestral homelands and they were not consulted by the Burea of Indian Affairs during the decision process.
The United Auburn Indian Community (UAIC) also filed a lawsuit in March 2025 claiming the Inter Department's approval was "rushed and politically motivated", it violates several federal laws, the tribe was not consulted, and the Vallejo site should not qualify as ancestral lands of the Scotts Valley tribe.
In April 2025 the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians sued the Department of Interior for rescinding its January approval. The lawsuit is in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In July the court refused to issue an interim injunction, but did confirm the tribe's land in Vallejo will remain in federal trust.
There is no timeline for the Interior Department to conclude its review process, and there is no timeline for the courts to resolve the legal challenges.
Vallejo Casino | Tribe Breaks Ground on Tribal Offices
September 27, 2025
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians broke ground in Vallejo Friday Sept. 19 to begin construction of tribal government offices. The location is a 160-acre site along Interstate 80 at the Highway 37 connector in Vallejo.
The tribal land was transferred into federal trust last January by the U.S. Department of Interior giving sovereign jurisdiction to the tribe over local and state governments.
"This groundbreaking is profoundly meaningful for our tribe as we work to develop the homeland that we struggled for generations to achieve."
- Shawn Davis, Scotts Valley Tribal Chairman
Davis said there are future plans to build a casino, event venue, tribal housing, expand the tribal administration center and preserve open space. These projects are not part of the current construction phase.
The casino project is temporarily stopped pending the legal outcome of the tribe's lawsuit against the Department of Interior for rescinding its previous approval of the Vallejo casino and is conducting a second review of that decision. The department's actions followed lawsuits by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (Cache Creek Casino Resort), United Auburn Indians (Thunder Valley Casino Resort) and other tribes that question the ancestral ties of the Scotts Valley Tribe to its Vallejo property. These cases are currently in federal courts.
The final resolution of the federal gaming authorization for the Scotts Valley Casino Resort will likely take a few years. In the meantime, the tribe intends to work on infrastructure and non-gaming construction projects.
Vallejo Vallejo Casino Bolsters Lawsuit | July 2025 Update
July 17, 2025
Last April the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians sued the U.S. Department of Interior for suddenly rescinding its previous approval that allowed the tribe to build a $700 million casino resort in Vallejo, California. The plan was approved on Jan. 10, 2025 and temporally rescinded for reconsideration on March 27, 2025.
This week the Scotts Valley Tribe amended its lawsuit against the Interior Department by citing new documents that appear to strengthen their case. The tribe says a Certified Administrative Record recorded July 2 shows the Department followed an "unlawful and politically motivated" roadmap authored by lobbyists of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a competing tribe which operates Cache Creek Casino Resort.
"The law and facts are absolutely on our side, so we are confident that the court will uphold our rights," said "We won't be deterred from moving forward and building a better future for our Tribe and our neighbors in Vallejo."
- Shawn Davis, Tribal Chairman
The lawsuit is in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Last month the court refused to invoke an interim injunction on the approval reversal, but did confirm the tribe's 160 acres in Vallejo will remain in federal trust. The court said it intends to resolve the case on the merits expeditiously.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a major ruling Tuesday in favor of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians against the U.S. Department of Interior's suspension of its previous approval of the tribe's Scotts Valley Casino Resort proposal for Vallejo, California. The court ruling ensures the 128 acres of Vallejo land owned by the Scotts Valley Band will remain in federal trust.
"This ruling represents one step in the process, and it brings us closer to having our rights upheld by the court. Our land remains in trust, our commitment remains strong, and our resolve remains unshaken."
The court's ruling came from a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the Scotts Valley tribe against the Department of the Interior's decision to suspend and reconsider the department's approval issued last January. The court confirmed the Vallejo land will remain in federal trust for the tribe; however, the request for an injunction was declined. The court said it will continue the case expeditiously regarding the Interior Department's suspension of the casino approval.
Vallejo Casino Project | New Support from Coalition of Large Tribes Coalition (COLT)
May 24, 2025
The Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) has sided with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians in its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) for temporarily rescinding the DOI approval of the Scotts Valley Casino Resort planned for Vallejo, California.
The DOI rescinded the Vallejo casino approval in late March to reconsider the decision announced by Biden Administration officials on January 10, 2025. The rescission followed a lawsuit against the DOI by three major California tribes.
This week the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians lawsuit. The filing urges the District Court to grant a preliminary injunction against the DOI and restore the initial approval of the Vallejo casino.
The Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) advocates for tribal sovereignty rights and economic development. COLT members are large-reservation tribes, which typically exceed 100,000 acres. The organization's website is here.
COLT member tribes include:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation Oglala Sioux Tribe Omaha Tribe Rosebud Sioux Tribe Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe Spirit Lake Tribe Spokane Tribe Ute Indian Tribe
The $700 million Scotts Valley Casino Resort planned for Vallejo will be a 400,000 square-foot construction project near the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37.
The DOI decision to rescind the Vallejo casino approval followed a lawsuit filed by three tribes claiming the DOI was not thorough in reviewing the ancestral history of the Vallejo area. These tribes include the United Auburn Indian Community, owners of the of (Thunder Valley Casino Resort, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, owners of Cache Creek Casino Resort, and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians from Colusa County, California
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has posted a new, controversial sign on Columbus Parkway where the Scotts Valley Casino project is planned. The sign reads "Home of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Ye-Mah-Bax". The term Ye-Mah-Bax is the tribe's traditional name and reflects its cultural identity and ancestral ties to the land.
The timing of the sign could be interpreted as a 'victory sign' for the recent DC District Court decision to remove three opposition tribes from a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Interior to stop and reconsider its Vallejo casino approval announced last January. The court ruling was announced April 28, 2025. The tribe's new sign appears a few days afterwards.
The future of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and its Scotts Valley Casino Resort project will be decided by the federal government sometime this year in Washington DC. The outcome will be a major gamechanger for the tribe and for the opposing tribes and their competiting casinos.
Vallejo Casino | DC Court Rejects Outside Tribe Intervention
April 28, 2025
Last month, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) temporarily rescinded its January approval of a $7 million tribal-owned casino resort planned for Vallejo, California. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians filed an immediate lawsuit against the DOI decision. Three other California tribes also filed lawsuits that same week to totally stop the Vallejo casino from being built.
The issue now under review by the DOI is whether the 128-acre casino site in Vallejo is "restored lands" under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Restored lands must be historically connected to the tribe. The three opposition tribes claim their own ancestral ties to the land exceed the claims of the Scotts Valley Tribe.
This week the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected intervening efforts these these three tribes and ruled they lack legal standing to join the case.
"This ruling gives us momentum and keeps distractions out of court. Now we will keep pressing forward to defend our land and our rights. We are moving forward to building economic opportunities for our members and the entire Vallejo community."
- Shawn Davis, Chairman Scotts Valley Band
The three tribes that have taken legal action to stop the Vallejo casino project are the United Auburn Indian Community, owners of the of (Thunder Valley Casino Resort, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, owners of Cache Creek Casino Resort, and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians from Colusa County, California.
In a surprising turnaround yesterday, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) temporarily rescinded its approval for the Scotts Valley casino project in Vallejo, California.
The Vallejo casino plan was submitted by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and approved by DOI officials of the Biden Administration on January 10, 2025. The tribe plans to build a $700 million casino resort on a 128-acres site in Vallejo along I-80 near Highway 37. That location has sparked strong opposition from other tribes, which claim ancestral ties to the land.
The United Auburn Indian Community (Thunder Valley Casino Resort) filed a lawsuit this week against the DOI to void the department's approval of the Vallejo casino. A similar case was also filed this week by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (Cache Creek Casino Resort) and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians. Both cases claim historical ties to the land and both were filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
In January the Interior Department transferred the 128 acres of land designated for the Vallejo casino into federal trust for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians. That transaction removed state and local jurisdiction over the land, and made the land eligible for gambling under the "restored lands" exception of the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Two days ago, the Department of the Interior notified the Scotts Valley tribe that the department has temporarily rescinded the gaming eligibility for the Vallejo casino while it reconsiders the decision for approving the project. The land transfer into federal trust will stand.
"The Secretary is concerned that the Department did not consider additional evidence submitted after the 2022 Remand. During the pendency of this reconsideration, neither the Tribe nor any other entity or person should rely on the Gaming Eligibility Determination."
- Scott J. Davis, Sr. Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior
The Interior Department is now revisiting the issue of whether the Vallejo site qualifies as restored lands. The Department has invited the Scotts Valley Band and all other interested tribes to submit all relevant evidence before May 30, 2025.
The United Auburn Indian Community (UAIC) has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) for approving the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' casino project in Vallejo, California. UAIC owns and operates the Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, the largest casino in Northern California.
The tribe is suing to block construction of the $700 million Scotts Valley Casino Resort planned for Vallejo. The casino was proposed by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians on October 16, 2016 and approved by the DOI on January 10, 2025. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on March 27, 2025.
The UAIC explained the reasons for the lawsuit in a news release Tuesday:
"The approval of this casino is a blatant violation of federal law and sets a dangerous precedent for tribes that have followed the established rules for Indian gaming. For decades, our tribe has worked to uphold the integrity of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and prevent opportunistic gaming proposals that ignore history and harm responsible tribal governments.
"If this decision stands, it opens the floodgates for off-reservation casinos in communities that have no historical or cultural ties to the tribes seeking them."
- John L. Williams, Chairman of United Auburn Indian Community
Patwin Tribes File Similar Lawsuit Two Patwin tribes also filed a similar lawsuit on the same day in the same federal court against the Department of Interior for similar reasons. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians want the court "to stop the desecration of their ancestral homelands" and void the DOI's approval of the Vallejo casino. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation owns and operates Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, CA.
Thes Patwin people have published a website to explain their opposition. You can read it at Protect Tribal Lands.
Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Response The tribal chairman responded to the lawsuit on Tuesday with this statement:
"The specious arguments raised in the lawsuit mischaracterize both the facts and the law. To try to avoid fair competition, the plaintiff is throwing whatever they can at the wall with their court filing, but it won't stick. We are confident that the Department of the Interior followed the law in its thorough review of our application and that our tribal land will remain in trust. We plan to join the United States in defending and upholding this decision," the statement said.
- Shawn Davis, Chairman of Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Vallejo Casino Project Approved by Federal Government
January 12, 2025
The $700 million Scotts Valley Casino Resort planned for Vallejo, California was approved Thursday by the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI). The DOI's decision will become official next week when the Record of Decision (ROD) is published in the Federal Register.
The DOI approval decision will allow the federal government to transfer the 160-acre casino site in Vallejo into federal trust for the benefit of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians. That action will give the land sovereignty over state and local governments and enable the tribe to build the casino.
"This is a special day for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians. For at least three decades we have been trying to reclaim our community. This allows our people to have a home and to have economic development for us and for our neighbors."
"Our request for this land to be taken into trust began in 2016, and while the journey has been long, it has been driven by our unwavering commitment to our people. This land represents not only our past but also our future. We are deeply grateful to the Department of the Interior for recognizing the importance of this land to the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and for helping us realize this dream."
- Tribal Chairman Shawn Davis
The Scotts Valley Casino Resort will be located near the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37. The 160-acre site will include a 400,000-square foot casino, restaurants, a family entertainment center, and a hotel. There will also be a 45-acre biological preserve, 24 single-family residences for tribal members, and a tribal administration building.
Will the federal government approve a casino application from the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians to build a $700 million casino resort in Vallejo, California? The U.S. Department of Interior is currently reviewing the results of a two-year study and is expected to make a final decision soon about whether to approve or reject the casino project.
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Vallejo awaits federal decision on proposed casino - Courtesy of NBC Bay Area, Jan 7, 2025. Available from YouTube
The Scotts Valley tribe is planning a 400,000-square-foot casino, a hotel, and entertainment venues inside an eight-story building at Interstate 80 and Columbus Parkway. The site is a 128-acre parcel of land, which will also include 24 homes for tribe members, an administration building and a biological preserve.
If the Interior Department approves the Vallejo casino plan, the 128-acres of land will be transferred into federal trust for the benefit of the tribe and giving it sovereignty over the state and local jurisdictions. Federal approval will allow the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indian to proceed with the Vallejo casino project.
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Vallejo Casino's Future in Legal Limbo | Sonoma County
