Rival Tribal Operator ‘Unlawfully’ Pressured DOI to Block Scotts Valley Project, Lawsuit Claims
Posted on: July 16, 2025, 03:21h.
Last updated on: July 16, 2025, 05:30h.
- Tribe accuses DOI of yielding to rival casino lobbyists
- Lawsuit says decision documents were written outside the agency
- DOI paused approval of $700M casino project in Vallejo
A rival casino operator hijacked internal government processes and devised a “roadmap” for federal officials to block the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ proposed casino in Vallejo, Calif., according to newly filed court documents.
The Scotts Valley Band is challenging the Department of the Interior’s March 27 move to put a prior gaming eligibility decision on hold pending legal analysis of whether its land qualified for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
An amended complaint, filed by the Scotts Valley Band on July 15 in a federal court in Washington DC, cites internal DOI communications which it claims show that lobbyists for the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation allegedly drafted key decision documents and influenced White House and DOI officials to reconsider the Tribe’s eligibility.
‘Unlawful Campaign’
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, which operates Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, Calif., has opposed the Scotts Valley Band’s near-decade-long ambition to build a $700 million casino in the region.
The Scotts Valley Band believed the project was finally a go after the outgoing Biden administration approved its trust land application on January 10, 2025.
But the tribe alleges the DOI March decision to reconsider its gaming eligibility was not a lawful administrative reconsideration, but “an unlawful and politically motivated campaign,” engineered by Yocha Dehe Wintun lobbyists.
These lobbyists drafted decision documents, coordinated with senior officials, and executed what the tribe claims was a “two-step” plan to derail the project without due process or valid legal grounds, according to the amended complaint. These documents were then circulated by the DOI’s political appointees and senior staff.
The tribe claims that DOI’s acting leaders, such as the acting solicitor and Bureau of Indian Affairs director, advanced the documents without notifying Scotts Valley. The DOI’s March action followed the lobbyists’ playbook almost line by line, it claims.
‘Law On Our Side’
“The law and facts are absolutely on our side, so we are confident that the court will uphold our rights,” Shawn Davis, Chairman of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, told the Vallejo Times-Herald. “We won’t be deterred from moving forward and building a better future for our Tribe and our neighbors in Vallejo.”
In a statement to the Times Herald on Tuesday morning, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Chairman Anthony Roberts noted that the courts had endorsed the DOI’s reconsideration process.
Look at the facts,” Roberts said. “For years, the Department of the Interior excluded our tribe and others from its decision-making, ignoring our evidence and refusing our meeting requests. In March of this year, the Department realized its error and committed to a fair and open reconsideration process, which gave all parties an equal opportunity to submit evidence for review.”
A federal court confirmed in June that the tribe’s land remains in trust while the reconsideration process plays out. While the court allowed the process to proceed, it has not ruled on the merits of the DOI’s action.
Last Comments ( 3 )
It's truly amazing that TRIBAL leaders have for so many years sounded off on how bad the white man treats the Natives of this country......but..... ..the true enemy of Tribes are other greedy Tribes who have the will .....and absolutely NO shame.... in trying to keep another impoverished Tribes from helping their members to get out of poverty ...to get on the road to successful lives and healthy lifestyles ! Its Not the first time this has happened...No not all .... But....it's amazing that another tribe would wantonly ....try and stand in the way of another California Tribe trying to get a better life for their members ...just like they did years ago.... when they started their own Casino ! If someone had blocked their efforts in trying to get their casino...where would they be now !?
Unprecedented . How will this affect all other tribes? Seems any land could be reviewed under these circumstances . Including Cache Creek’s
Greedy tribe's who have it all barking around like dogs in heat. Let other tribe's better themselves n there people. Shit you been on the rich n famous. Greed is a sickness