The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Tribe is on schedule to open a huge casino resort in Rohnert Park, California, US, before the end of this year.
The site is adjacent to US 101 in Sonoma County and the project is expected to dwarf the competition in northern California. It will include dining and live entertainment and will be the closest casino to San Francisco.
The tribe has worked with Station Casinos of Las Vegas for years to get the necessary approvals for the location. Together the partners have overcome many obstacles, including widespread opposition from various anti-gaming groups.
The casino will open with 3,000 slot machines and 200 table games and will employ around 2,000 people. The dining services will have multiple outlets, including four fine dining venues. The facilities will also include lounges and bars and a concert venue.
The resort is projected to generate around $420m in annual gaming revenue by its seventh year, from which Sonoma County will receive annual payments of $9m.
