A casino project sparks conflict over tribal sovereignty and control of sacred lands

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians hail from neighboring lands that stretch from the vineyards of wine country to the redwood forests of Northern California. Scotts Valley Tribal Vice Chairman Jesse Gonzalez disputed the Yocha Dehe tribe’s characterization of the project, saying his people have always been transparent about their goals for the land and the reasons why they are justified in building on the parcel. The Solano County Board of Supervisors, members of California’s congressional delegation and other leaders have also voiced opposition to the Scotts Valley Band’s attempts to build a casino in the area over the years. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote in her opinion supporting the Scotts Valley Band that the whole reason for the Indian gaming law is to give dispossessed tribes “some semblance of the status they enjoyed before, with the opportunity to sustain themselves economically.” But the Yocha Dehe leaders question why Scotts Valley has sought to use a special provision in the law that allows a federally recognized tribe to construct a casino outside its traditional home base — provided it can show both a modern-day link and a “significant” historical connection to the parcel it wants to build on.