Vallejo City Council Approval of MOU with Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians

The Vallejo City Council on Tuesday night approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, pertaining to a temporary gaming facility of up to 100 devices.

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians welcomed the Vallejo City Council’s approval of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Tribe and the City of Vallejo, calling the vote a pivotal moment in the partnership between the two governments and a step forward for the Vallejo community.

“We are grateful to the Councilmembers who recognized what this agreement means not just for our Tribe, but for the future of Vallejo,” Chairman Shawn Davis said. “This MOU is an objective and forward-looking agreement that ensures the City benefits from the economic opportunities of our development. This is just one step in many future partnerships with the City, and we are looking forward to all the great work we can achieve by working in tandem with our City partners.”

The Tribe emphasized that the agreement is the product of months of good-faith negotiation consistent with the cooperative agreement executed between the Tribe and the City in November 2024.

“Our people have waited generations to come home,” said Chairman Davis. “Through termination, displacement and decades of legal struggle, we endured, and we have always believed that when we finally came home, we would do so as partners who would work with the community to shape a better tomorrow.”

The MOU ensures that the City of Vallejo shares the benefits of the Interim Development activities of the project and that coordination occurs in a structured and mutually beneficial manner. The MOU provides the City with over $400,000 per year for up to 3 years, plus a one-time $100,000 payment. Additionally, it will commit at least $100,000 per year from the Tribe to support local nonprofits, distributed in coordination with the City. The agreement includes defined mitigation measures to address public safety, traffic, and infrastructure impacts, and mechanisms for coordination. The City Council added an amendment to the MOU to include additional community engagement, increase the requirement amount of local hires and consider contributions to help the White Slough cleanup.

Nearly 300 residents submitted letters in support to the City Council, and nearly members of the public voiced support in public comments.

“I believe that this is a positive action that you should take advantage of because the passing of the MOU is a small step, but it will be a giant leap for Vallejo’s economy. It will be a good dollar-earning that will have a good economic multiplier for the city of Vallejo, and we will be a strong regional economic city again,” Cris Villanueva, former vice mayor and city councilor of Vallejo, said.

“I’m a carpenter, and I’m a resident of Vallejo, and have been for the past few decades," said Kayla Gomez, field represetnative from the Carpenters Local Union 180. "This project will help generate new jobs and visitors to Vallejo that will benefit the community and local businesses. This agreement brings coordination and sets the tone for future agreements that build long-term community benefits.”

“Truly and particularly from a tourism and marketing perspective, this represents a powerful opportunity for our community," Kirk Smith, president and CEO of Visit Vallejo, said. It builds awareness of Vallejo and creates economic activity that we can capture and certainly grow. More visitors mean more overnight stays. More overnight stays means increased transit occupancy tax revenue that will be reinvested into our general fund for our city to support public safety and infrastructure."

The Tribe’s long-term vision includes a comprehensive development consisting of 24 units of tribal housing, a tribal government administration center, open space preservation, and a gaming and entertainment facility that will serve as a major regional economic engine – creating thousands of local jobs and generating hundreds of millions in wages annually.

While that broader project proceeds through planning and impact analysis, the Tribe is advancing interim uses, including temporary tribal offices and a limited-scale gaming operation within modular facilities. It consists of approximately 5,400 square feet of two enclosed modular structures and will house up to 100 Class II gaming positions, along with related support space, parking, security, and utilities. The Facility includes four restrooms, security stations, 24/7 on-site security personnel, surveillance systems, and gaming administration.

As a federally recognized Indian tribe developing its own trust land, Scotts Valley did not require City approval or an MOU to move forward with the Interim Development. The project can and will proceed under Tribal and federal authority. Additionally, the MOU does not govern the larger casino development, which will undergo further study, negotiation, and a separate intergovernmental agreement.