DC Court Confirms Scotts Valley Trust Status in Vallejo
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia June 10 confirmed the trust status of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ 160-acre parcel in Vallejo, California, on which it intends to build a $700 million casino, 24 residences, a tribal building, 45-acre biological preserve and more.
In January, before former president Joe Biden left office, the Department of Interior approved the trust application for the project, which was highly controversial. The project is away from the tribe’s existing reservation, and such approvals are typically nearly impossible to obtain. Nonetheless, it was approved, which sparked a wave of lawsuits as a result. By April, new DOI Secretary Doug Burgum had announced that the approval was being reconsidered, and Scotts Valley then filed its own suit. While that suit is still ongoing, the latest ruling from the district court is a positive step for the tribe.
“This ruling represents one step in the process, and it brings us closer to having our rights upheld by the court,” Chairman Shawn Davis told the Times-Herald. “Our land remains in trust, our commitment remains strong, and our resolve remains unshaken.”
Ione Band Begins Acorn Ridge Construction
The Ione Band of Miwok Indians has begun construction of its Acorn Ridge Casino near Sacramento, per PlayCA. The tribe, which has fought to develop the California casino for several years, secured a financing agreement with Gaming and Leisure Properties in 2024, the first ever between a tribe and a gaming real estate investment trust.
The 60,000-square-foot casino will feature 349 slots, 10 tables and other amenities. Construction is expected to take about a year, with an opening set for spring 2026.
New Police Policy Proposed in Taunton in Response to ‘Increasing Operations’
As the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts expands its tribal welcome center and works towards its permanent casino project, Taunton Police Chief Ed Walsh has proposed a new ordinance that would allow him or anyone serving in his capacity to appoint members of the tribe’s police force as “special police officers.”
According to the Taunton Daily Gazette, the ordinance was proposed “in response to the ongoing development and increasing operations on tribal lands associated with the casino project. The police department anticipates that these developments will have a direct impact on local law enforcement and public safety, and this ordinance is intended to help ensure an appropriate and coordinated response.”
When the designated tribal officers would be on duty at the site and interacting with non-tribal members, the officers “”shall exercise the same authority as a Taunton Police Department officer and shall follow all applicable policies and procedures of the Taunton Police Department,” the proposal said. The ordinance was referred to a subcommittee June 2.
