Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Closes Preview Casino in Vallejo Following Federal Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians shut down its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, right after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe's trust parcel. Officials cited insufficient historical connection to the site as the basis for the decision, and the closure took effect immediately in August 2026. The small-scale facility had served as a demonstration project meant to establish operational viability ahead of a larger resort development, yet it operated only briefly before the shutdown occurred. The Preview Casino represented the tribe's initial step toward broader gaming operations on the trust land. Employees at the venue learned of the closure through tribal leadership announcements, and the move impacted more than 100 workers who had staffed the short-lived operation. Management coordinated the wind-down process to comply with the federal determination while addressing payroll and facility transition matters.

Details of the Federal Decision

The Department of the Interior's action reversed prior determinations on the parcel's gaming eligibility, and the tribe maintained that the step contradicted earlier administrative findings along with a 2025 federal court ruling on related land issues. Tribal representatives stated that the withdrawal lacked consistency with established precedents and documentation already reviewed during previous evaluations. The decision centered on historical connection criteria under federal Indian gaming regulations, and the agency applied those standards to conclude the parcel did not meet the threshold.

Observers familiar with the case noted that such eligibility reviews often involve extensive historical research and consultation with multiple stakeholders. The tribe had prepared the Preview Casino as a limited demonstration venue to showcase management capabilities and generate data for the larger project, yet the federal change halted that process before substantial operational records could accumulate.

Operational Impact and Workforce Effects

More than 100 employees faced immediate job loss when the facility closed its doors, and the tribe initiated support measures including severance coordination and job placement assistance through existing tribal programs. The Preview Casino had functioned as a modest-scale operation with table games and limited slots, designed primarily to test market response and internal systems rather than generate large-scale revenue. Its brief run nevertheless provided some employment and training opportunities before the federal action ended activities.

Local suppliers and contractors who had supported the temporary venue also experienced sudden changes in business volume, and the tribe communicated with those partners about the transition timeline. The facility's location in Vallejo placed it within a competitive regional market, where other gaming options already existed, yet the Preview Casino had aimed to establish a distinct tribal presence through its demonstration format.

Tribe's Position and Planned Legal Response

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians described the Interior Department's decision as inconsistent with prior findings and the 2025 court ruling, and it announced plans to file a new federal lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act. The tribe indicated that the legal challenge would seek review of the eligibility withdrawal process and the standards applied during the determination. Legal counsel for the tribe has begun preparing the complaint, focusing on procedural aspects and the administrative record developed in earlier stages of the matter.

According to the tribe's statements, the action raises questions about how historical connection evidence receives evaluation across different administrative reviews. The 2025 federal court ruling had addressed related aspects of the trust parcel status, and tribal leaders referenced that decision as supporting their position on continued eligibility. The planned lawsuit represents the next step in the tribe's effort to restore gaming eligibility for the site.

Background on the Trust Parcel and Project Plans

The trust parcel in question sits within the tribe's land base in the Vallejo area, and the Scotts Valley Band had pursued gaming development as one component of broader economic initiatives. Federal recognition of the tribe dates back decades, and the group has maintained government-to-government relations with the United States throughout that period. The Preview Casino emerged as a phased approach to the larger resort project, allowing the tribe to demonstrate operational readiness while building toward a full-scale facility with expanded amenities and employment capacity.

Project documents outlined the temporary venue as a testing ground for management practices, customer service protocols, and regulatory compliance systems. The brief operational window limited the amount of performance data collected, yet the tribe viewed the experience as valuable preparation for future phases. The Interior Department's withdrawal of eligibility directly affected those longer-term plans and prompted the immediate closure of the demonstration facility.

Conclusion

The closure of the Preview Casino marks a significant development in the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' gaming efforts, and the tribe's planned lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act will determine the next phase of the process. The Department of the Interior's decision on historical connection criteria remains central to the dispute, while the impact on more than 100 employees highlights the human dimension of the federal action. Further proceedings in federal court will clarify the status of the trust parcel and the standards governing future eligibility reviews.