Limited Gaming Starts on Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ Trust Land

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 24, 2026

VALLEJO, CA – The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians announced today that limited gaming has started on the Tribe’s sovereign homeland in Vallejo, creating jobs and future staffing needs and ongoing operations. Consistent with the Vallejo City Council-approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Tribe and the City, this preview casino is open by invitation only to customers at this stage.

Scotts Valley unveiled plans in December to open a small casino after a federal court decision restored gaming eligibility for the Tribe’s land in Vallejo. As of Friday (July 24), the Tribe is operating a limited number of Class II gaming machines, having repurposed existing modular buildings on site to serve as the casino. This gaming operation has the approval of the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Tribe’s gaming commission is in place to oversee gaming operations on tribal lands. It is staffed by tribal members and residents.

“After decades of hard work and striving, we are exercising the Tribe’s gaming rights and keeping our commitment to develop our homeland for the benefit of our members and the people of Vallejo,” said Shawn Davis, Chairman of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians. “Working hand in glove with the city, we’ve taken steps to ensure that Vallejo has the financial resources it needs to provide city services in connection with this initiative. We will continue to work closely with City leaders as we pursue our vision of a world-class gaming and entertainment facility that drives long-term economic growth for our Tribe, the City of Vallejo, and Solano County.”

The Tribe originally received a favorable gaming eligibility determination from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) in January 2025 after nearly a decade of litigation and agency review. That decision confirmed the Tribe’s Vallejo property as eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, paving the way for long-awaited economic development. In a decisive U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia opinion in October 2025, the Court vacated DOI’s attempted March 2025 gaming eligibility rescission for violating the Tribe’s constitutional rights and restored gaming eligibility to their land.

In April, the Vallejo City Council approved a MOU between the Tribe and Vallejo to ensure that the City of Vallejo shares the benefits of the preview casino and that coordination occurs in a structured and mutually beneficial manner. The agreement includes defined mitigation measures to address public safety, traffic, and infrastructure impacts, and mechanisms for coordination.

Scotts Valley’s long-term vision includes a comprehensive development consisting of 24 units of tribal housing, a tribal government administration center, open space preservation, and a gaming and entertainment facility that will serve as a major regional economic engine – creating thousands of local jobs, beautifying the area, and bolstering public safety.

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