Plans to construct a new casino in Solano County, California, are being delayed following an unfavorable decision from the Department of the Interior. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians aimed to develop a substantial 648,000-square-foot casino in Vallejo, located at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and Highway 37, with an investment set at $700 million. However, the Department ruled against the project, citing the tribe's failure to establish a significant historical association with the land, according to reporting by Times-Herald.
As a result of this ruling, the Band must also pause operations at its newly opened temporary casino, which began welcoming guests in late July and is currently situated in portable cabins near Columbus Parkway. William Kirkland III, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, remarked, “I have determined the Band has not demonstrated the requisite significant historical connection.”
Despite this setback, tribal casinos across the country have experienced a fruitful year, reporting record-high revenues for the first half of 2026. Various tribal groups in states such as Arizona and North Carolina are engaged in numerous new construction projects.
In January of last year, the Scotts Valley Band believed it had secured a significant opportunity when the Department of the Interior initially granted it gaming eligibility for the proposed location. However, in a reversal later that same year, the Department acknowledged having made a “legal error,” stating, “The Vallejo parcel does not qualify as restored lands within the meaning of applicable law.” Kirkland further indicated that his office would not provide a definitive ruling on the tribe's potential gaming options under other legal exceptions.
The tribe’s development plans included not only the casino but also 24 detached houses, a biological preserve, a parking area, and a tribal administration building, with hopes to operate the casino continuously.
In response to the latest ruling, the Band is preparing to contest the decision in federal court. Chairman Shawn Davis stated, “The administrative record overwhelmingly supports the Tribe’s gaming eligibility. We will move quickly to challenge the decision in federal court.” The tribe has been looking for support from the Department to reverse an October judgment from a district court in the District of Columbia, which denied their attempt to invalidate reconsideration processes and expressed concerns over the site's suitability for gaming based on evidence from other tribes.
The Scotts Valley Band’s claim has incited opposition from neighboring tribal groups, including the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the Lytton Rancheria. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has contended that the land is ancestral to the Patwin tribes and warned that construction would pose environmental risks. They previously challenged assertions that a historic chief, Shuk Augustine, had resided in Vallejo.
Andy Mejia, chair of the Lytton Rancheria, expressed support for the recent ruling, describing it as “an encouraging development.” He emphasized that the situation has always centered on maintaining the integrity of federal processes rather than opposing another tribe, adding that Lytton Rancheria is prepared for ongoing legal challenges ahead.
