Scotts Valley tribe challenges federal ruling blocking $700m Vallejo Casino
The tribe has taken legal action against the US Department of the Interior after the agency rejected its claim that a Vallejo site qualifies as restored tribal land for gaming.
U.S.- The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians is challenging the US Department of the Interior in federal court after the agency ruled that a parcel in Vallejo, California, does not qualify as restored lands under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The tribe argues that the decision conflicts with IGRA and previous court rulings. It has also pointed to a 2019 opinion that had supported its position.
The DOI’s decision prevents the tribe from conducting its planned $700m casino and hospitality development in Solano County near the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37. The DOI ruling came shortly after the tribe opened a temporary preview casino at 200 Columbus Parkway.
The development has faced opposition from neighbouring tribes. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation previously argued that the development could affect ancestral lands. The DOI concluded that the Vallejo parcel did not have the historical connection required to qualify as restored tribal land. The ruling represents a major setback for Scotts Valley, which had pursued the project through nearly a decade of administrative proceedings and litigation.
However, the tribe says it was not given an explanation or an opportunity to respond: “The Department substituted a materially different reconsideration process without notice, explanation, or a meaningful opportunity for the Band to respond,” it said.
