Federal Review Throws Vallejo Casino Plan into Question

The $700 million casino project planned for Vallejo’s northern outskirts faces fresh doubt as federal officials suggest its earlier approval might not be legitimate. 

US Interior Fast-Tracks Inquiry into Scotts Valley Gaming Rights

The US Department of the Interior has told the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians it will speed up its ongoing review of the tribe’s right to build a casino. This decision could change the course of the big development.

In a letter sent not long ago to Tribal Chairman Shawn Davis, officials from the federal government laid out extra steps in their assessment and warned the tribe not to assume its earlier approval would remain, reported Times-Herald. The agency pointed out that new documents filed by nearby tribes and other groups this spring cast doubt on whether the Vallejo location meets federal rules to allow gaming on “restored lands,” a crucial benchmark under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The proposed project covers about 160 acres close to where Interstate 80 and Highway 37 meet. The plan includes a casino that is open 24/7, new housing, office buildings, parking lots, and a big nature reserve. People who back the project have said for a while that it would create jobs and boost the local economy. However, the idea has also made existing arguments about historical land rights in Solano County more heated.

Federal Scrutiny Deepens Dispute Over Ancestral Claims in Vallejo

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, whose Patwin ancestors lived across the area, liked the Interior Department’s recent move. Tribal leaders said they have asked federal officials for years to look at evidence that they think goes against Scotts Valley’s claims of historic connections to Vallejo. They have also challenged statements that a Pomo leader mentioned as an ancestral link that ever stayed in the area, saying these claims twist the facts.

The new federal review comes after an October decision by a US District Court judge. The judge ruled that the Interior Department violated Scotts Valley’s due-process rights when it took away gaming eligibility without warning. The court told the agency to fix this procedural error. However, it also made clear that this ruling did not stop federal officials from doing a full reassessment or from taking back approval if needed.

Davis said in a statement that the federal recognition of due process issues matched what the tribe has asked for throughout the disagreement. He insisted that the land’s trust status has not changed and that the tribe still has gaming eligibility during the review.

He added that planning work continues. Federal officials have asked the tribe to meet before January ends and urged Scotts Valley to hand in more documents backing its stance. As this process goes on, the future of one of the area’s most talked-about building plans stays up in the air.