Scotts Valley Band Says Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Lobbied Against Its Casino

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians is fighting to defend its casino plans for Vallejo, California, amid continued challenges from a different tribe.

Rival Tribe Allegedly Influenced the DOI’s Decision

In March, the Department of the Interior put a gaming eligibility decision on hold while analyzing whether the Scotts Valley Band’s chosen casino site qualified for gaming per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

However, the Scotts Valley Band believes that the DOI’s decision to put the gaming eligibility decision on hold was influenced by a rival tribe. In a complaint submitted on July 15, 2025, the Scotts Valley Band suggested that its rival Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation had played a role in the White House and DOI’s decision to question its eligibility.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has long been a thorn in the Scotts Valley Band’s side. The former tribal entity, which operates the Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, has firmly opposed the Scotts Valley Band’s casino ambition.

Because of that, the latter tribe suggested that the DOI’s decision from March was “politically motivated” and affected by Yocha Dehe Wintun lobbyists. According to the complaint, these lobbyists were in cahoots with state officials and collaborated to block the rival tribe’s casino.

As a result, the Scotts Valley Band has now challenged the March decision, in an attempt to proceed with its $700 million casino plan.

Scotts Valley Band Is Confident That the Court Will Uphold Its Rights

The Scotts Valley Band has sought to build a casino in the region for roughly a decade now. Despite the challenges, officials remain optimistic about the future of their casino as they believe that the law is on their side.

Shawn Davis, chair of the tribe, commented on the matter in an interview with the Vallejo Times-Herald and expressed confidence that the court will uphold his tribe’s rights.

We won’t be deterred from moving forward and building a better future for our Tribe and our neighbors in Vallejo.

Shawn Davis, chair, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians

In the meantime, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation defended the DOI’s decision. According to the tribe, it had been long excluded from decision-making. As a result, the tribe said that the March decision shows that the DOI has finally committed to an open reconsideration process.