A $700 million large-scale casino resort project in Vallejo, California, recently encountered major trouble. The U.S. Department of the Interior sent a letter to the Scotts Valley Pomos tribe in early December, stating that the gambling qualification decision granted in January "may be based on a legal error" and needs to be reviewed again. This has filled the project, located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 37 and covering a full 160 acres, with uncertainty. Although the tribe insists that the law and facts are on their side, the federal re-examination undoubtedly provides new opportunities for rival tribes to block the project.
Federal Review Restarted: The Legal Mystery of the $700 Million Project
The issue began with a letter from the Department of the Interior. The department pointed out that evidence submitted earlier this year raised questions about the historical and temporal ties of the Scotts Valley tribe to the land. The letter also subtly reminded the tribe that relying on the existing qualification during the department's review period could be "disadvantageous" to them. The project includes not only the core casino but also 24 independent residences, a parking lot, a tribal administrative building, and a 45-acre ecological reserve. Although the land has already been entrusted to the tribe, the focus of the review is whether it meets the federal "restored lands" criteria for gambling.
Tribal Chairman Sean Davis responded, stating that this precisely confirms the fair process the tribe has been seeking. He expressed confidence in a fair process and believes that the law and facts will support their gambling qualifications. However, this is the fourth time the Department of the Interior has made a decision on this matter, with the previous three times deeming that the tribe failed to prove significant historical connections to the proposed casino site. In March of this year, the department initiated the current review process, citing possible inadequate assessment of evidence from local tribes and other parties.
Legal Maneuvering and Tribal Competition: Who is Trying to "Sabotage" the Project?
Behind this review turmoil lies intense inter-tribal competition. Three rival tribes—the Lytton Rancheria, the United Auburn Indian Community, and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation—have filed multiple lawsuits attempting to overturn the federal decision to include the land in trust and confirm gambling qualifications. In response, the Scotts Valley tribe has filed motions in various federal cases to dismiss the lawsuits and to intervene in the cases for limited purposes. They argue that since the lawsuits directly challenge their trust land and restored land status, federal law requires the tribe's participation. However, the tribe enjoys sovereign immunity and cannot be forcibly joined in the lawsuits, so according to Supreme Court precedents, these cases must be dismissed.
Tribal Chairman Davis accused these lawsuits of being attempts by competitors to "sabotage" the tribe's long-awaited economic independence opportunity for profit. In contrast, Yocha Dehe Chairman Anthony Roberts countered, stating that this is the latest attempt by the Scotts Valley tribe to "shift attention from the truth," and confidently believes that the court will deem their motions worthless. This complex legal struggle fully demonstrates the intertwined pattern of business and law commonly seen in the approval of American tribal casinos, a dynamic also reflected in global regulatory cases on the PASA official website.
The Core Dispute Over Historical Connections: The Truth and Falsehood of an Ancestor's Residence
The most central pain point of the entire dispute surprisingly falls on a piece of history. The Scotts Valley tribe claims that one of their ancestors, Chief Shack Augustine, once lived in the Vallejo area. However, the local Patwin tribe firmly denies this, stating it is "historically inaccurate." Chairman Roberts sharply rebutted: "Augustine never lived in Vallejo, nor did he ever use or occupy this land. He has no connection to this land or the surrounding counties." He considers such claims an "insult and injury" to the descendants of the area's traditional residents.
The Patwin tribe claims that the federal government ignored their evidence in the approval in January. Previously, the Scotts Valley tribe attempted to stop the re-review in federal court, but Judge Trevor McFadden dismissed this request on October 30. The ruling stated that the department, after providing due process, is fully entitled to reconsider or revoke the gambling qualification. Although the court criticized the Department of the Interior for temporarily canceling the qualification without prior notice to the tribe, it also clearly stated that this does not limit the ongoing review. The latest letter from the Department of the Interior invites the tribe to meet by January 30 at the latest and submit additional evidence supporting their position. Despite the stricter review, the Scotts Valley tribe stated that they would continue planning activities on their trust land, determined to bring employment and economic growth to Vallejo.
