Scotts Valley Tribe Continues Fight for Vallejo Casino

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians continues its fight for a casino in Vallejo, California. While the tribe insists that the casino would be an important economic driver, competitor tribes have been trying to get it blocked.

Competitor Tribes Say the Scotts Valley’s Claim for the Land Is Invalid

In the latest development in the Scotts Valley Band’s efforts to build a tribal casino venue in Vallejo, the tribe submitted a final brief in an attempt to dismiss three separate cases filed by opposing tribal entities. Scotts Valley Band officials accused the other tribes of trying to deprive the tribe from its sovereign rights.

For context, the tribes seeking to prevent the Scotts Valley Band from building its new casino include federal cases by the Lytton Rancheria of California, United Auburn Indian Community, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, which operate the San Pablo Lytton Casino, Thunder Valley Casino Resort, and Cache Creek Casino, respectively.

All federal cases were filed with the US Department of the Interior and seek to overturn a decision from a year ago when the department decoded to place into trust a 160-acre parcel of land in Vallejo for gaming, housing, and governmental operations.

However, the Department of the Interior later suggested that the approval of the casino might have been based on an error and acknowledged some of the concerns expressed by competitor tribes, which have said that the parcel of land might not qualify for gaming. Some suggested that the Scotts Valley’s claim for the land might be based on false assumptions about Chief Shuk Augustine who might have never lived in Vallejo.

The Scotts Valley Will “Not Bend Under the Knee of Greed”

The Scotts Valley previously tried to invalidate the reconsideration process. Now, the tribe has filed the final brief in its motion, hoping to dismiss the cases brought by the Lytton Rancheria of California, United Auburn Indian Community, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

The Scotts Valley asserted that its trust land is crucial to the future of its community as it will allow it to provide housing, bolster its economy, and serve important governmental functions.

Shawn Davis, chair of the tribe, slammed the lawsuits by competitor tribes, saying that they seek to prevent the Scotts Valley from “exercising its sovereign right to pursue economic development on its rightful ancestral land.”

He suggested that the lawsuits might have been prompted by greed, and asserted that since two of the opposing tribes’ casinos are located more than an hour from Scotts Valley land, there is no reason for them to interfere.

We will not bend under the knee of greed. It’s wrong. We will continue to fight valiantly to defend the Tribe’s rights, history, and economic future – both for the Scotts Valley and Vallejo.

Shawn Davis

For context, the Scotts Valleyhopes to use the land for a 24/7 casino, 24 family residences, an administration building, and a garage. In the meantime, 45 acres will be set aside for a preserve area.