Scotts Valley Pomo Tribe Ends Vallejo Preview Casino Run After Federal Eligibility Withdrawal
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed its Preview Casino in Vallejo, California effective late Sunday night on August 2-3 2026 after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe’s Vallejo trust parcel and operations halted immediately following the federal notice that cited insufficient historical connection to the site.
This temporary facility had operated briefly to demonstrate viability for a larger resort and it employed over 100 people who faced sudden job loss when the reversal took effect while the tribe plans to file a new federal lawsuit challenging the decision according to reports from industry observers.
Background on the Preview Casino Project
The Preview Casino served as a short-term demonstration site meant to show that a full-scale resort could succeed in Vallejo and the tribe established the operation on trust land after years of planning and regulatory steps that initially secured gaming eligibility from federal authorities.
People familiar with the project note that the temporary casino opened to generate revenue data and community support before any permanent development could move forward and employment reached more than 100 workers during its brief run which lasted only a few months.
The Federal Reversal and Immediate Closure
The U.S. Department of the Interior issued its withdrawal notice based on a review that found the Vallejo parcel lacked sufficient historical ties to the Scotts Valley Band and this determination reversed prior eligibility determinations that had allowed the preview operation to launch.
Operations ceased right after the notice arrived on August 2-3 2026 which forced an abrupt shutdown of all gaming activities and staff transitions while the tribe prepared its legal response to contest the change in federal position.
Employment and Economic Impact
More than 100 workers lost positions when the doors closed and these jobs had provided steady income in the Vallejo area where the temporary facility had begun to attract local visitors and generate measurable economic activity in a short period.
Those who studied the project point out that the preview phase was designed precisely to prove market demand yet the federal action ended that demonstration before longer-term data could accumulate or additional hiring could occur.
Tribe's Planned Legal Response
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians intends to file a new federal lawsuit that will challenge the Department of the Interior’s reversal and this action follows standard procedures used by tribes when eligibility determinations shift after initial approvals.
Legal experts tracking tribal gaming cases note that such suits often focus on the consistency of federal reviews and the tribe’s filing will seek to restore the gaming eligibility that supported the Vallejo parcel operations until the recent withdrawal.
Context Within Tribal Gaming Regulations
Federal rules governing Indian gaming require documented historical connections to trust lands before full commercial operations receive approval and the Department of the Interior applies these standards during periodic eligibility checks that can alter prior findings as new evidence emerges.
Observers note that the August 2026 decision reflects an updated assessment rather than a broad policy shift and similar reviews have occurred with other tribes when parcel-specific historical records come under closer examination.
Conclusion
The closure of the Preview Casino marks the end of a brief operational chapter for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians in Vallejo while the upcoming lawsuit will test the boundaries of federal eligibility reviews and the tribe continues to pursue its gaming development goals through established legal channels as of August 2026.