The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians continues to fight off legal challenges from three rival tribes over plans to develop a casino in Vallejo, California.
The tribe filed motions to dismiss three lawsuits that block its plans for development adjacent to the city boundary in Solano County. The Lytton Rancheria of California, United Auburn Indian Community, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation all filed complaints last year.
The tribes own the San Pablo Lytton Casino, Thunder Valley Casino Resort, and Cache Creek Casino, respectively. However, Scotts Valley argues that its development is not a threat to its rivals.
“These lawsuits are an attempt to prevent the Tribe from exercising its sovereign right to pursue economic development on its rightful ancestral land,” Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Chairman Shawn Davis said on Friday.
“Two of the opposing casinos are located more than an hour from our land and have no reason to interfere with a fair and binary process except to protect their own financial interests. 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.”
‘Legal Error’ Granted Tribe Land for Vallejo Gaming
The Department of the Interior placed a 160-acre parcel of land in Vallejo for gaming, government operations, and housing for tribal members. However, last year, it admitted that its original approval of the proposed casino may have been based on “legal error.”
The awarding of the land is under federal review, and Scotts Valley has attempted to block it. Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the tribe’s efforts to invalidate the reconsideration process.
The tribe claims its former leader, Chief Shuk Augustine, previously lived in Vallejo and used the land. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation says this claim is false and that Augustine never lived in the city.
“Let me be clear. Augustine never lived in Vallejo and never used or occupied lands here,” Anthony Roberts, chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, said in September. “He had no ties to this land and the surrounding counties. Scotts Valley’s claims about Augustine are simply false. Factually incorrect.”
“As descendants of those who truly did occupy these lands, it’s insulting and hurtful to hear these claims. Even worse is the fact that we gave the Department of the Interior the true facts well in advance of its January decision. But the decision says on its face that our evidence was not considered. The agency just ignored it.”
Temporary Casino Plans Continue Despite Challenges
Scotts Valley has continued its development despite the challenges brought by rival tribes and announced plans to open a temporary location at the end of last year.
Davis said the tribe has the right to open the temporary venue, stating, “This facility will allow us to exercise our gaming rights and provide meaningful economic opportunity for our members and all Vallejo residents while we work on our permanent facility.”
The permanent facility would include the construction of 24 single-family residences, a tribal administration building, a parking garage, and a 45-acre biological preserve, in addition to the casino. The project is estimated to cost around $700 million.
Roberts called the opening of a temporary location a “cash grab” that violates the court’s orders. He told Lake County News, “The court was explicit that its ruling should not be viewed as a green light to proceed with gaming activity while the federal review is ongoing.”
Roberts added, “Moving forward with this short-term cash grab ignores the Court’s warning, disrespects the reconsideration process, and jeopardizes the City of Vallejo’s limited public safety and other resources for its citizens.”
War of Words Will Be Settled in Court
Davis argues that it is Roberts and his tribe that are attempting to grab cash. He stated, “We are moving forward despite the misleading opposition from a small handful of greedy casino operators led by Cache Creek.”
Andy Mejia of the Lytton Rancheria of California framed the argument less in terms of greed and more in terms of respecting the legal process. He stated, “This is not about opposing economic development. It is about ensuring that development occurs lawfully, responsibly, and in a manner that honors tribal history and federal law.
“Proceeding with a casino, even a so-called ‘preview’ facility, while the Department of the Interior is actively reconsidering its own decision risks undermining the integrity of the federal review process.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Chairman Wright of the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, who emphasized, “Our concern here is specific and process-based.”
He joined calls for Scotts Valley to pause its plans while the courts decide whether it has the legal right to offer gaming on the land.
Wright added, “Where the Department of the Interior is actively reconsidering gaming eligibility, and the court has cautioned against reliance on interim decisions, moving forward with gaming activity at this site before that review is complete risks undermining trust in the process and creating avoidable conflict among tribes and local communities.”
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The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians continues to fight off legal challenges from three rival tribes over plans to develop a casino in Vallejo, California. The tribe filed motions to dismiss three lawsuits that block its plans for development adjacent to the city boundary in Solano County. The Lytton Rancheria of California, United Auburn Indian
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