Pomo Tribe's Vallejo Preview Casino Halts Operations Following Federal Gaming Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians ended operations at its Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, late on the night of August 2 into August 3, 2026, after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe's Vallejo trust parcel, and the temporary facility had opened only recently to test market demand ahead of a planned larger resort project that would have created hundreds of additional positions.

More than 100 employees received immediate notice of the shutdown, which took effect without advance warning once the federal determination arrived citing insufficient historical connection between the tribe and the specific parcel, and the tribe has since announced plans to file a new federal lawsuit challenging the reversal while it explores every available administrative and legal avenue.

Background on the Preview Facility and Its Purpose

Developers positioned the Preview Casino as a short-term demonstration site meant to prove operational viability and generate early revenue data that could support applications for a full-scale resort casino on the same trust land, yet the Interior Department's action removed the legal foundation for any continued gaming activity at that location, and the tribe responded by directing staff to secure the property and cease all floor operations by the deadline.

State and local officials received copies of the federal notice alongside the tribe, which allowed coordination on unemployment support programs and workforce transition services for the affected employees, and those programs began enrollment the following week while the tribe compiled documentation for its upcoming court filing.

Details of the Federal Determination

The Interior Department's reversal rested on a review that found the Vallejo parcel lacked the required historical ties under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and this finding overrode earlier approvals that had permitted the trust acquisition and the opening of the preview operation, prompting the tribe to prepare legal arguments that will emphasize prior federal recognition of the parcel and the tribe's longstanding presence in the broader region.

Legal teams for the Scotts Valley Band began assembling expert affidavits and historical records immediately after the August notice arrived, and observers note that similar disputes in other states have sometimes resulted in negotiated settlements or revised eligibility findings after additional evidence is presented in federal court.

Immediate Impacts and Next Steps

Local businesses that had begun supplying the casino reported a sudden drop in orders once operations stopped, yet supply contracts contained standard force-majeure clauses that limit liability while the tribe pursues its challenge, and the tribe has committed to honoring any outstanding payments to vendors through the end of the month.

Community leaders in Vallejo have scheduled public meetings to discuss the economic ripple effects and to coordinate applications for federal and state workforce grants that could offset job losses in the short term, and the tribe has indicated it will participate in those sessions to share its timeline for the planned lawsuit.

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the eligibility determination follows established regulatory procedures that require documented historical connections, and the Scotts Valley Band maintains that its ancestral territory encompasses areas that include the current Vallejo site, setting the stage for a detailed evidentiary presentation once the complaint is filed.

Conclusion

The closure marks a significant pause in the tribe's development plans for the Vallejo property, while the forthcoming lawsuit will determine whether gaming eligibility can be restored through additional historical evidence and legal arguments, and the outcome will shape both immediate employment prospects for the former casino staff and the longer-term trajectory of the proposed resort project.