Vallejo Preview Casino Closes After Federal Eligibility Withdrawal

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians ended operations at its temporary Preview Casino in Vallejo late Sunday night in August 2026 after the U.S. Department of the Interior withdrew gaming eligibility for the tribe’s Vallejo trust parcel, and the decision rested on findings of insufficient historical connection along with inconsistencies in the record.

Operations halted at the small-scale facility that had supported more than 100 workers, while the larger resort project now sits in limbo as the tribe prepares a fresh federal lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Background on the Temporary Facility

The Preview Casino opened as a limited gaming site on trust land in Vallejo, and it served as an initial step toward a fuller resort development that the tribe had planned for years, yet the site faced ongoing scrutiny from federal reviewers who examined tribal connections to the parcel.

Records show the facility employed over 100 workers during its run, and those positions ranged from gaming floor staff to support roles that kept daily operations moving forward until the closure took effect.

The Interior Department Decision

The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the withdrawal of gaming eligibility after determining that the Vallejo trust parcel lacked sufficient historical ties to the Scotts Valley Band, and reviewers also flagged inconsistencies across submitted documentation that supported the eligibility request.

This reversal of the gaming eligibility determination for the Vallejo trust parcel occurred in August 2026, and it directly prompted the tribe to shut down the Preview Casino rather than continue operations under the new restriction.

Immediate Operational Impact

Shutdown activities wrapped up late Sunday night, and the closure removed the only active gaming option at the site while leaving the broader resort plans without a clear path forward in the near term.

More than 100 workers who had staffed the facility now face uncertain employment prospects, and the sudden end of operations shifted attention to the tribe’s next legal steps rather than any immediate reopening timeline.

Tribe’s Planned Legal Response

teh Scotts Valley Band has moved to file a new federal lawsuit challenging the eligibility withdrawal under the Administrative Procedure Act, and this approach targets the procedural aspects of the Interior Department’s review process.

Observers note that such challenges often focus on whether the agency followed required steps when it reversed the earlier eligibility finding, and the tribe’s filing is expected to seek judicial review of both the historical connection assessment and the cited record inconsistencies.

Status of the Larger Resort Project

The bigger resort development remains stalled while the legal process unfolds, and project timelines that once pointed toward expanded facilities now depend on the outcome of the upcoming Administrative Procedure Act case.

Trust land status for the Vallejo parcel continues in place, yet the loss of gaming eligibility blocks the primary revenue stream the tribe had counted on to advance the full-scale plans.

Conclusion

The closure of the Preview Casino marks a clear turning point for the Scotts Valley Band’s Vallejo operations, and the tribe’s planned lawsuit under the Administrative Procedure Act now represents the main avenue for addressing the Interior Department’s August 2026 decision on gaming eligibility.