Scotts Valley Band Closes Vallejo Preview Casino After Federal Gaming Reversal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians closed its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo, California, late on August 3, 2026, after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe’s trust land parcel, and the shutdown affected over 100 employees while marking the end of operations that had run under temporary authorization.

According to the tribe’s public statements the closure followed directly from the DOI’s reversal of an earlier eligibility determination, and officials cited insufficient historical connection to the Vallejo site as the basis for withdrawing approval that had previously allowed gaming activities on the parcel.

Timeline of the Decision and Immediate Effects

The reversal came after the Department reviewed documentation submitted by the tribe, and observers note that the action overturned findings the DOI had reached in prior reviews, while the 2025 court ruling had appeared to support the tribe’s position on land eligibility, and this created the contradiction the Scotts Valley Band now plans to highlight in federal court.

Operations halted on the evening of August 3, 2026, with management notifying staff that the facility would not reopen the following day, and the tribe confirmed that more than 100 employees received final paychecks along with information about state unemployment resources available to those affected by the sudden change.

Documents released by the tribe show that the Vallejo parcel was taken into trust in previous years under criteria the DOI had applied to other California tribes, and the current reversal represents a departure from that consistent application, while the 2025 court ruling had examined comparable evidence of tribal connection to off-reservation sites and reached conclusions the tribe believes remain controlling.

Background on the Trust Land and Gaming Eligibility

The Preview Casino operated as a temporary facility on land the tribe placed into federal trust, and gaming eligibility under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires the Department of the Interior to determine that the parcel meets statutory criteria including historical or modern connections to the tribe, and the August 2026 reversal focused specifically on the sufficiency of evidence presented for the Vallejo location.

Federal records indicate the tribe submitted historical, anthropological, and genealogical materials during earlier review periods, and the DOI had accepted those materials when it granted initial eligibility, whereas the new determination found the same materials insufficient to establish the required connection, and this shift prompted the tribe’s decision to pursue litigation rather than accept the administrative change.

Those familiar with the case point out that similar disputes have arisen with other tribes seeking off-reservation gaming sites in California, and the Scotts Valley Band’s situation follows a pattern in which DOI eligibility determinations are subject to periodic re-examination when new administrations or policy interpretations take effect, while the 2025 court ruling provided a benchmark the tribe believes should have insulated its eligibility from the current reversal.

Impact on Employees and Local Economy

The closure eliminated more than 100 positions that had supported the Preview Casino’s daily operations, and the tribe coordinated with local workforce agencies to facilitate claims for unemployment benefits and job-placement services, and community organizations in Vallejo began tracking the ripple effects on nearby businesses that had supplied goods and services to the facility.

Payroll records released by the tribe show that the affected employees held positions ranging from gaming-floor attendants to security and food-service roles, and the sudden end of operations left many workers seeking new employment in an area where tribal gaming jobs remain limited, while the tribe stated it would prioritize rehiring those staff if the court challenge restores eligibility.

Observers following tribal gaming cases note that such litigation can extend for several years before a final appellate decision emerges, and during that period the tribe may explore alternative economic development options on the trust parcel that do not require gaming approval, while the DOI retains the authority to reconsider its reversal if additional evidence or policy guidance becomes available.

Conclusion

The August 3, 2026, closure of the Preview Casino represents a direct consequence of the Department of the Interior’s withdrawal of gaming eligibility for the Vallejo trust parcel, and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has responded by preparing a federal-court challenge that will test whether the reversal can stand against earlier administrative determinations and the 2025 judicial precedent, and the outcome will affect more than 100 employees while shaping how similar eligibility questions are resolved for other tribes in California.