The U.S. Department of the Interior has reversed its approval of a proposed Scotts Valley casino in Vallejo, concluding after a 16-month review that the site does not qualify for gaming.
The department announced Friday that the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians had not shown the historical connection to the property required under federal law. Officials reconsidered the January 2025 approval after saying evidence had previously been improperly left out.
Opponents have argued the property falls within Patwin ancestral territory. The department had reached similar conclusions three times before the January approval, finding Scotts Valley lacked a “significant historical connection” to the proposed gaming site.
The dispute continued while federal officials reviewed the decision. Scotts Valley pursued a temporary “preview casino” using modular buildings and Class II gaming machines near Interstate 80 and Highway 37. Four California tribes urged the band to wait for the federal review before beginning gaming operations.
Yocha Dehe also sued Vallejo in June over city approvals connected with the temporary casino. Its complaint challenged an encroachment permit and memorandum of understanding, arguing the city had not followed California environmental and local-government requirements.
Federal approval reversal ends Scotts Valley’s gaming eligibility for Vallejo casino site
“Today’s decision reflects a fair, transparent, fact-based review of Scotts Valley’s alleged historical connection to Vallejo that we have long advocated for,” said Yocha Dehe Chairman Anthony Roberts, in a statement sent to ReadWrite.
“Since the beginning, all we have asked is that all the facts be considered and our voices be heard. The Department took the time to consider all the facts and evidence, and that evidence revealed what history already makes clear: this land is Patwin ancestral territory. It always has been, and it always will be. This process has been difficult and painful, but today’s decision brings long-overdue validation and begins to set things right.”
Roberts said Yocha Dehe’s objections were about protecting ancestral territory, rather than stopping other tribes from developing casinos.
“For generations, our people have worked to protect the lands, waters, and cultural resources in Vallejo and the surrounding areas of Patwin ancestral territory, and we will continue that work for generations to come,” Chairman Roberts continued. “Our fight has never been about holding another tribe down. It was about protecting Patwin ancestral territory and about ensuring that decisions on tribal lands are made fairly, lawfully, and based on true historical ties. We have always been and we remain committed to supporting tribes pursuing gaming within their own homelands.”
Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, another non-gaming Patwin tribe that opposed the development, also welcomed the outcome.
“Our Tribe has consistently stood firm in defense of Patwin ancestral lands and the integrity of the restored-lands process,” said Charlie Wright, Chairman of the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, a non-gaming Patwin tribe that opposed the proposed development in ancestral Patwin territory. “Scotts Valley has not demonstrated the significant historical connection to Vallejo required under federal law. We support tribes securing trust lands and pursuing economic development through the legal pathway supported by the historical record. Today’s decision upholds the integrity of the restored-lands gaming-eligibility process and ensures decisions are based on the documented historical ties required by federal law.”
Featured image: Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
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