Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Closes Preview Casino After Federal Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo California effective late Sunday night on August 3 and into August 4 2026 after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe’s Vallejo trust parcel and the decision cited insufficient historical connection to the site while the closure affected over 100 employees who had been working at the location and followed a 2025 federal court ruling that had been favorable to the tribe yet teh band announced plans to pursue new litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act to address the reversal.

Details of the Federal Decision and Immediate Effects

The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the withdrawal of gaming eligibility for the specific trust parcel in Vallejo and this action directly led to teh shutdown of operations at the Preview Casino which had been functioning as a temporary facility for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and the department’s determination rested on findings that the parcel lacked sufficient historical ties to the tribe and this step came after earlier legal proceedings in 2025 where a federal court had ruled in the tribe’s favor on related matters and observers note that the August 2026 reversal shifted the operational landscape for the casino project.

Over 100 employees faced immediate impacts from the closure and the band coordinated the wind-down of activities at the Vallejo site during the final hours of Sunday night while the tribe maintained that it would continue efforts to secure gaming rights through additional legal channels and the closure marked a sudden end to the preview operations that had been underway in the region.

Legal Context and Planned Next Steps

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians referenced its intention to file new litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act following the Department of the Interior’s decision and this approach allows challenges to federal agency actions that tribes believe do not align with prior court outcomes or established procedures and the 2025 favorable ruling had provided a foundation for continued operations yet the 2026 eligibility withdrawal introduced a new phase in the dispute over the Vallejo trust parcel.

Those familiar with tribal gaming cases point out that the Administrative Procedure Act serves as a standard mechanism for reviewing agency determinations and the band’s strategy aligns with this pathway as it seeks to contest the historical connection assessment made by the Department of the Interior and the tribe’s trust parcel in Vallejo had been the subject of ongoing federal review that culminated in the August 2026 action.

Broader Implications for Tribal Operations

The closure of the Preview Casino in Vallejo represents a direct consequence of the federal eligibility withdrawal and it affects the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ temporary gaming presence in California while the band continues to hold other interests and the decision underscores how determinations regarding historical connections can influence the viability of trust parcels designated for gaming purposes and similar cases have shown that tribes often respond to such rulings through targeted litigation.

Data from the reported timeline indicates that the 2025 court ruling had supported the tribe’s position at that stage and the subsequent 2026 reversal by the Department of the Interior prompted the immediate closure effective August 3 and 4 and this sequence highlights the fluid nature of federal approvals for tribal gaming facilities on trust lands and the band’s response focuses on procedural review under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Conclusion

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians completed the closure of its Preview Casino in Vallejo following the U.S. Department of the Interior’s withdrawal of gaming eligibility for the trust parcel and the action cited insufficient historical connection while impacting over 100 employees and occurring after the 2025 federal court ruling and the tribe’s planned litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act will address the latest development in this ongoing matter.