Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Ends Vallejo Preview Casino Operations After Federal Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has closed its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, immediately following a decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to withdraw gaming eligibility for the tribe's trust parcel, and the move comes after officials cited insufficient historical connection to the site.

The small-scale facility had operated only briefly as a demonstration project meant to show viability for a larger resort development, yet the shutdown impacted more than 100 employees who lost positions when operations ceased without advance notice.

Details of the Federal Decision and Tribal Response

The Interior Department's action reversed prior determinations on the parcel's status, while the tribe has described the withdrawal as inconsistent with earlier findings along with a 2025 federal court ruling that addressed similar land eligibility questions, and representatives announced plans to file a new lawsuit challenging the decision under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Observers note that the Preview Casino served as an initial step in the tribe's broader economic development strategy, and the abrupt closure halted revenue generation that the facility had begun to produce during its short run.

Background on the Trust Parcel and Casino Operations

The trust parcel in Vallejo had received gaming eligibility under previous administrative reviews, yet the recent withdrawal focused on questions of historical ties that federal evaluators determined did not meet required thresholds, and this determination directly triggered the immediate shutdown order.

Those familiar with the project explain that the temporary casino featured limited gaming options designed to test market demand, and the facility employed staff across various roles including dealers, security personnel, and hospitality workers before the closure took effect.

The tribe maintains that evidence supporting its connection to the Vallejo area aligns with standards applied in the 2025 court case, and legal teams are preparing arguments that the new decision represents an arbitrary shift from established precedents.

Impact on Employees and Local Economy

More than 100 workers received notification of the closure as operations wound down, and local officials have begun assessing the sudden loss of jobs in an area where the facility contributed to temporary economic activity during its brief existence.

Community members who followed the project note that the Preview Casino represented an early phase of what was intended as a phased development approach, while the federal ruling has now paused further progress on the larger resort plans.

Legal Path Forward Under the Administrative Procedure Act

The tribe's planned lawsuit will seek judicial review of the Interior Department's eligibility withdrawal, and attorneys expect arguments to center on consistency with prior administrative actions and the 2025 federal court precedent, and the case will test how federal agencies apply historical connection standards to trust lands.

According to the tribe's public statements, the decision affects not only current operations but also long-term economic projections that depended on successful demonstration through the Preview Casino, and the Administrative Procedure Act provides the framework for challenging what the tribe views as an unexplained change in position.

Records from the Department of the Interior show that gaming eligibility determinations involve multiple layers of review, and the withdrawal in this instance followed an internal reassessment that reached different conclusions than earlier evaluations on the same parcel.

Timeline and Immediate Aftermath

The closure occurred in August 2026 shortly after the eligibility withdrawal notice reached the tribe, and operations ended without a transition period that might have allowed for orderly wind-down of activities or employee support measures.

State and local agencies have received no formal requests for assistance wth displaced workers at this stage, while the tribe focuses resources on preparing its federal court challenge.