Vallejo council approves temporary agreement for controversial Solano casino project

By Ashley Sharp

After several hours of heated debate and public comment, the Vallejo City Council voted to enter into a temporary memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians as they work to open a preview casino and tribal offices on their trust land within city limits. 

The site sits just off Interstate 80 and Columbus Parkway in Vallejo. 

The MOU was amended following council concerns to include more community engagement, a requirement of 15% local hires, and a contribution to the White Slough cleanup. 

Council members Alexander Matias and Tonia Lediju voted no on the amended MOU. 

“On the merits, I can’t vote for this agreement tonight. Part of that is because I don’t think that the agreement in its current form is substantially bringing to the city of Vallejo the benefits it could bring, even though it is a temporary agreement,” Matias said.

A motion proposed by Matias to have Scotts Valley return with a new proposal in 30 days failed, with Lediju casting the only supporting vote.

“Partnership requires clarity and discipline. I want to say that I acknowledge and respect the sovereignty of the tribe and the right to pursue economic development, and I support the city engaging in partnership… what concerns me about this MOU is whether we should engage but whether we are doing so in a way that fully protects Vallejo and our residents,” Lediju said.

Scotts Valley sought the MOU in an effort to partner with the city of Vallejo to provide services like water, police and fire as they begin to develop on their trust land.

The MOU includes a lengthy list of terms and conditions, including a necessary encroachment permit, that the tribe pays for and maintains 24/7 onsite security to include a full-time police officer, paid fire mitigation services, paying monthly commercial rates for water, and the tribe installing FLOCK license plate reader cameras and a security tower camera at their expense. 

“We feel that Vallejo is not just a project site, it is our homeland. This is my home now. We are developing the land with a preview casino to help build stability and opportunity for our families and to provide benefit to the city and Vallejo community,” said Shawn Davis, tribal chairman for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

At the heart of the controversy, as CBS Sacramento has previously reported, is the pushback from neighboring tribes who accuse Scotts Valley of “reservation shopping” and having no legitimate ancestral ties to the lands.

“That is ancestral Patwin territory. It has been, it always will be… Our fight from day one has never been to hold the tribe down. It’s been to protect the resources that we’ve protected in our ancestral lands for generations,” Anthony Roberts, tribal chairman for the Yoche Dehe Wintun Nation, told CBS Sacramento.

All of this comes as the future of the larger $700 million casino and resort project is in legal limbo after the federal government rescinded its initial approval following multiple lawsuits filed by neighboring tribes. 

In public comment, Andy Mejia, chairman of Lytton Rancheria, said the council should postpone all agreements with Scotts Valley until the final federal decision comes down.

“To do so will simply waste the time and resources of the city when a few months of patience would go a long way. If the city of Vallejo moves forward with the decision, Lytton Rancheria will litigate,” Mejia said.

In public comment, multiple neighbors and local union members spoke in support of the MOU and temporary preview casino Scotts Valley is looking to open soon.

“We are all in support of the MOU. This agreement helps ensure Vallejo will see meaningful benefits from the tribe’s preview casino, including support for city services… it is a positive step to making sure this project contributes to our community in a responsible, beneficial way,” a member of the North Coast States Carpenters Union said in public comment.

Bill Dodd, California state senator representing Vallejo, spoke in support of Scotts Valley.

“The tribe presents a chance to uplift the entire Vallejo community while helping to address historic wrongs perpetrated against the Scotts Valley tribe,” Dodd said.

Now that the MOU has been approved, city leaders say staff will continue analysis of the impacts of the proposed larger casino project, pending federal approval, ensuring Vallejo is reimbursed and mitigated for any impacts.

Next steps will also include the approval of an encroachment permit and temporary construction of the preview casino, which is set to start in the coming months.