The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which operate the largest tribal casino in Northern California, Graton Resort and Casino, proposes to expand its gaming floor and add a second hotel tower.
This can only cement its dominant position in the Bay Area, despite more competition springing up, such as a casino proposed by a rival tribe in Sonoma County: the Koi Nation.
The tribe wants to expand its casino in Rohnert Park by half and add a five-story, 221 room hotel. The $825 million casino opened in 2013 with 3,000 slots, 144 gaming tables and extensive dining. Three years later it opened a 200-room hotel and convention center.
The new gaming space will be located in the front of the existing casino, increasing its gaming floor by 144,000 square feet. The new hotel tower will be next to the existing one, although taller.
Experts in the hospitality and casino industry say this will help the tribe attract more consumers and keep them on the property longer, spending more money.
Sonoma County, whose Board of Supervisors recently opposed the casino proposed by the Koi Nation, appears more receptive towards Graton’s expansion plans. Supervisor David Rabbitt told the Santa Rose Press Democrat: “I look forward to having a discussion with tribal members about what they want to do and how they want to do it and have the county act accordingly.”
Because the casino is on tribal, sovereign land, the county realistically has little say it whether the expansion goes forward. Probably the best it can do is get mitigation for impacts. Rabbitt added, “We certainly wish them well. We want to have a conversation about off-site impacts, and environmental impacts.”
The tribe has a long-standing memorandum of understanding with the City of Rohnert Park to pay $251 million over two decades to the city for public safety, schools and other services.
