- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Gaming
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has filed suit against the city of Vallejo and its city council over the council’s approval of an encroachment permit and a memorandum of understanding tied to the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ proposed temporary casino.
The complaint, filed May 28 in Solano County Superior Court, alleges the city violated the California Environmental Quality Act and the Cortese‑Knox‑Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act by approving the agreements without required environmental review or authorization from the Solano Local Agency Formation Commission, the county-level body that oversees changes to local government boundaries and services.
The lawsuit argues the city improperly relied on categorical CEQA exemptions that do not apply to the project and unlawfully committed municipal services to tribal trust land without first securing approval from Solano County. The complaint also alleges Vallejo improperly treated the temporary gaming facility as a standalone project rather than part of Scotts Valley’s planned larger casino development, a practice known under CEQA as project segmentation or piecemealing.
Yocha Dehe leaders say the city acted prematurely while the Department of the Interior continues reconsidering Scotts Valley’s gaming eligibility.
“The City of Vallejo’s decision to rush into a memorandum of understanding for the Scotts Valley project while the federal government is actively reconsidering whether the project is legal in the first place completely disregards the rule of law and proper process,” Chairman Anthony Roberts said in a statement.
He said the tribe filed suit to protect Patwin ancestral homelands and to ensure Vallejo residents receive “thoughtful decision‑making grounded in facts and meaningful environmental review.”
Secretary Mia Durham said the tribe’s long‑standing relationships in Vallejo are rooted in partnership and trust, adding that Yocha Dehe remains committed to community organizations in the region.
The challenge comes weeks after Vallejo approved a memorandum of understanding, or MOU outlining police, fire and water service terms for Scotts Valley’s temporary Class II gaming facility, per a prior Tribal Business News report. The tribe plans to install two modular buildings totaling about 5,400 square feet with up to 100 gaming positions, plus a third modular office building. The facility would operate during limited hours and rely on food trucks and prepackaged items.
Under the MOU, Scotts Valley will pay Vallejo $402,000 annually for public safety and administrative costs, a $100,000 activation fee and at least $100,000 a year to local nonprofits. An impact report prepared for the city estimates roughly 801 daily vehicle trips and first‑year public safety costs of about $766,000.
The Department of the Interior initially approved the Vallejo parcel for gaming in January 2025 but rescinded that determination less than three months later to consider additional evidence from neighboring tribes. A federal judge later vacated the rescission on due‑process grounds but allowed the agency to continue its reconsideration, which is expected to conclude by the end of July.
According to the lawsuit, the Interior Department told Scotts Valley in December that evidence submitted during the reconsideration process raised questions about whether the site qualifies as gaming-eligible “restored lands” under federal law and cautioned the tribe against relying on the earlier determination while the review remains pending.
A final decision by the Department of the Interior regarding Scotts Valley’s gaming eligibility is expected by the end of July, according to both the lawsuit and a recent federal court filing.
Opposing tribes say the city should have waited for that decision before moving forward. Scotts Valley has not announced an opening date for the temporary facility.
