Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Closes Preview Casino in Vallejo After Federal Ruling

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 trust parcel at that location, and the temporary facility had served as a short-term demonstration site intended to show viability for a larger resort project while employing more than 100 workers whose positions ended with the immediate shutdown. Federal notice cited insufficient historical connection to the Vallejo site as the basis for reversing prior eligibility determinations, prompting the tribe to halt all activities right away rather than continue under the new restriction. The closure took effect across the overnight period, aligning with the exact timing of the department’s action, and staff received confirmation that no further gaming would occur at the parcel under the withdrawn status.

Details of the Federal Decision and Immediate Impact

The U.S. Department of the Interior issued its reversal after reviewing the parcel’s eligibility criteria, and the ruling directly affected the Preview Casino’s ability to maintain gaming operations because teh site no longer qualified under federal standards for Indian gaming. The temporary facility had opened only recently to generate data and revenue that could support plans for a full-scale resort, yet the sudden loss of eligibility removed the legal foundation for continued play, leading to the swift shutdown that affected every department from gaming floors to support services.

Over 100 employees learned of the closure through official notifications that followed the federal notice, and the tribe coordinated the wind-down process to comply with the department’s directive without delay. Operations that had run for a brief demonstration period came to a complete stop, with all gaming machines and tables secured and the premises prepared for an extended period without activity while legal options were evaluated.

Tribe’s Response and Planned Legal Action

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians announced plans to file a new federal lawsuit challenging the reversal, and the suit will seek to restore gaming eligibility for the Vallejo trust parcel by presenting additional evidence of historical ties that the tribe maintains were not fully considered in the department’s review. Legal teams are preparing arguments that focus on the original eligibility determination and the procedural steps that led to the withdrawal, with the goal of overturning the decision so that the larger resort project can proceed under restored federal approval.

Observers note that the lawsuit will move through federal court channels, and the tribe has indicated it will pursue all available avenues to contest the finding of insufficient historical connection. The Preview Casino’s short operational window had been designed specifically to produce performance metrics that could attract investment for the expanded resort, yet the eligibility reversal interrupted that process before longer-term data could be collected or presented in support of the larger development.

Context of the Vallejo Trust Parcel and Temporary Facility

The trust parcel in Vallejo was placed into federal trust status to support tribal economic development, and the Preview Casino represented the first phase of activity on that land with the explicit purpose of proving operational feasibility ahead of a major resort build-out. Federal regulations governing Indian gaming require demonstrated historical connection to the land in question, and the Department of the Interior’s withdrawal reflected a determination that such connection had not been sufficiently established for this particular site despite earlier approvals.

Because the facility operated only briefly, its closure marks the end of a limited test period rather than the termination of an established enterprise, and the tribe has emphasized that the action does not affect other properties or ongoing tribal programs outside the Vallejo location. The more than 100 workers who staffed the Preview Casino included dealers, security personnel, hospitality staff, and administrative roles, all of which ended at the same moment operations ceased in the early hours of August 3, 2026.

Next Steps for the Scotts Valley Band

The tribe is now directing resources toward the upcoming federal lawsuit while evaluating options for the closed facility and the trust parcel itself, and court filings are expected to include documentation that addresses the historical connection criteria cited in the department’s notice. Preparation for litigation involves coordination with legal counsel experienced in Indian gaming law, and the process will unfold over coming months as the case moves through the federal system.

Meanwhile the Vallejo site remains secured following the closure, and no alternative uses have been announced pending the outcome of the legal challenge. The temporary nature of the Preview Casino means that infrastructure investments were modest compared with a permanent resort, yet the employment loss still represents a direct consequence of the eligibility reversal for the community members who held positions there.

Conclusion

The closure of the Preview Casino by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians on August 2–3, 2026, stems directly from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s withdrawal of gaming eligibility for the Vallejo trust parcel, and the tribe’s planned lawsuit will test whether that decision can be reversed through additional evidence of historical ties. The immediate halt affected more than 100 jobs and ended the brief demonstration phase that had been intended to support a larger resort project, while the federal notice citing insufficient connection provides the stated rationale that the tribe now seeks to challenge in court. Further developments will depend on the progress of the litigation and any subsequent administrative actions by the Department of the Interior.