The United States Department of the Interior is reconsidering its decision to allow the development of a large-scale tribal casino near Vallejo. The Scotts Valley Band has plans to build a massive casino and other community infrastructure on the site. Under the previous administration, the DOI approved the land for gaming use, but it has temporarily rescinded that determination in order to reconsider the matter.
The department’s decision to revoke the gambling authorization closely follows the filing of two lawsuits against the department by three different Indigenous Peoples Groups within California’s borders. While a permanent revocation of gaming eligibility would appease some of the claims in those complaints, it would not address all of the issues that the lawsuits raise.
Interior initiates review of gaming authorization
On March 27, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior Scott J. Davis sent a letter to the chair of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Shawn Davis. The letter informed Shawn Davis that the Dept. of the Interior (DOI) is reviewing the gaming eligibility decision in favor of the Scotts Valley Band’s casino plans and during the review, that authorization from Jan. 10, 2025, is null.
The letter explains that current DOI Secretary Doug Burgum “is concerned that the Department did not consider additional evidence submitted after the 2022 Remand.” The 2022 Remand is a Scott Valley Band application for the DOI to take the land into trust.
The letter stresses that the trust is not under review at this time, meaning that the Scotts Valley Band is still free to develop the site for non-gaming purposes. However, current litigation might give the Scotts Valley Band reason to hesitate.
Letter comes days after filing of lawsuits
On March 24, two lawsuits naming current and/or former DOI employees as defendants were filed regarding the Scotts Valley Band’s plans for the 128-acre parcel in Vallejo. While the DOI letter does not mention those actions, it does CC all three Indigenous Peoples Groups behind the complaints.
Elizabeth Larson of the Lake County News shared comments on the letter from two of the three groups pursuing charges. Neither comment mentioned potentially dropping their complaint as a result of the DOI’s review.
That’s likely due to the revocation of the gaming authorization being temporary pending the outcome of the review. Additionally, even a decision to fully rescind that determination wouldn’t meet all the lawsuits’ demands.
Lawsuits challenge Scotts Valley Band ancestral ties
Both lawsuits claim that the Scotts Valley Band’s ties to the tract in question are invalid. Both actions ask the court to vacate the decision to take the land into trust for the Scotts Valley Band, stating DOI did not follow proper procedure when it made the determination.
Larson reports that in response to the DOI letter, Shawn Davis stated that, “the evidence supporting our tribe’s gaming approval under the restored lands exception is robust, well-documented, and consistent with prior rulings from the department and federal courts. It was the product of many years of thorough study and review.”
Pending this review and the lawsuits, the future of gaming in Vallejo is yet to be determined. It could be months if not years before there are final decisions.
