Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Ends Operations at Vallejo Preview Casino

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

Operations at the small-scale facility wrapped up after it had employed over 100 workers, and the site was originally intended to demonstrate viability for a larger resort project that the tribe had planned in the area, while the closure marked the end of a short-lived operation that began earlier in the year as part of broader development efforts.

Details of the Federal Decision

The Department of the Interior took the step of withdrawing gaming eligibility based on its assessment of historical ties, and this action directly affected the trust parcel where the Preview Casino operated, whereas prior determinations had allowed the tribe to move forward with limited gaming activities at the location.

Those familiar with the case note that the federal withdrawal reversed earlier findings that supported the parcel's eligibility, and the tribe described the decision as unlawful in statements released after the closure announcement, while also highlighting inconsistencies with previous federal reviews of the same land.

Tribe's Response and Legal Plans

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians announced plans to file a new lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act to challenge the withdrawal, and this legal action aims to address what the tribe views as an abrupt shift in federal position on the parcel's status.

Representatives for the tribe emphasized that the decision disrupts ongoing efforts to establish a presence in Vallejo, and they pointed to the Preview Casino as a key step in proving the project's potential before scaling up to the full resort concept that had been under consideration.

Impact on Employment and Local Operations

More than 100 workers lost their positions with the shutdown, and the closure affected a facility that had served as an initial testing ground for the tribe's gaming strategy in the region, while the temporary nature of the Preview Casino meant that all activities ceased once the federal eligibility was pulled.

Local observers have tracked the sequence of events leading to Sunday night's closure, and reports indicate that the tribe coordinated the wind-down process to comply with the updated federal stance on the trust parcel, although the full scope of economic effects on the Vallejo community remains under review by regional analysts.

Background on the Vallejo Trust Parcel

The trust parcel in Vallejo formed the foundation for the Preview Casino, and the Department of the Interior's action focused on historical connection criteria that determine gaming eligibility under federal guidelines, whereas the tribe had secured the land through established trust processes prior to opening the facility.

Documentation from the project shows that the Preview Casino operated on a limited scale to gather data and demonstrate demand, and this approach aligned with standard practices for tribes seeking to expand into larger casino developments in California, according to reports on the closure.

Next Steps in the Legal Process

The tribe's planned lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act will seek to overturn the eligibility withdrawal, and legal teams are expected to argue that the decision lacks consistency with earlier federal evaluations of the same parcel, while court filings are anticipated in the coming weeks as the process moves forward.

Federal agencies involved in the review maintain their authority over trust land designations, and this case illustrates how shifts in those determinations can halt gaming projects at various stages of development, according to statements from the Department of the Interior.

Conclusion

The closure of the Preview Casino represents a direct outcome of the Interior Department's withdrawal of gaming eligibility for the Vallejo trust parcel, and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians continues preparations for its Administrative Procedure Act lawsuit as the primary avenue to address the change, while over 100 former employees transition from the facility that had operated until late Sunday night in August 2026.