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ROHNERT PARK, CA — Graton Resort & Casino reopened its doors Thursday morning after pausing operations in March as the coronavirus pandemic reached California and stay-home orders went into effect, shuttering the venue.

In order to reopen, Greg Sarris, tribal chairman for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and his team worked closely with state and Sonoma County health officials to institute a number of new policies and procedures — introduced in phases — to keep both guests and team members safe throughout the facility.

'Although Graton Resort & Casino has always been known as one of the cleanest and safest casinos in California, it was very important for us to reexamine our operations from top to bottom and implement the best safety protocols,' Sarris said. 'We look forward to not only welcoming our guests back, but we’re also thrilled for the opportunity to get our Team Members back to work.'

In a news release about Thursday's reopening, Graton said almost all of its 1,200 employees who were furloughed during the temporary closure were rehired, and that every employee has been trained on the new safety protocols in accordance with all state and local recommendations.

What To Know About Graton Resort & Casino's New Health And Safety Guidelines

Temperature Checks

Using thermal cameras, non-invasive temperature checks will be conducted for everyone entering the property. Anyone who displays a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be taken to a private area for a second temperature screening. Those with a fever higher than 100.4 degrees in the secondary temperature will not be allowed to enter.

Electrostatic Sprayers

All areas will be regularly disinfected with electrostatic spray for an additional level of protection.

Physical Distancing

Team members and guests must stand at least 6 feet apart while cuing (waiting in line), using elevators or moving around the property.

Slot machines, restaurant tables and other physical layouts are arranged to ensure appropriate distancing.

Face Coverings

Everyone who works at Graton and everyone who visits Graton is required to wear a mask covering the nose and mouth at all times.

Team members (employees) will wear personal protective equipment, called PPE, based on their role and responsibilities and in adherence to state, local and/or tribal regulations and guidance.

Hand Sanitizers

Graton has made hand sanitizer dispensers — touchless whenever possible— available throughout the property, including at all major guest and employee entrances, on the casino floor, in the hotel lobby, in the restaurants and in all elevators.

Table Games Operations

Graton has installed plexiglass dividers at all game tables.

Based on the type of table game, Graton is operating games with limited occupancy.

Slot Operations

Slot machines are appropriately arranged for social distancing.

Dining/Drinking

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All bars and restaurants —except for Aces and Scoops — are open with modified, reduced seating capacity.

Both cocktail and room service are available.

Entertainment

Graton has canceled all concerts and live entertainment.

Shared Equipment

Graton says all tools and equipment shared among employees — phones, radios, computers and other communication devices, payment terminals, kitchen gadgets, engineering tools, cleaning equipment, keys, time clocks and all other direct-contact items — are sanitized before, during and after each shift or anytime they are transferred to a new employee.

Services Temporarily Unavailable

The Spa & Salon, fitness center and valet service are temporarily suspended.

Guests need to self-park until further notice.

Bus service from select Bay Area cities resumes Monday, June 29.

Graton Resort & Casino is an Indian casino and hotel outside Rohnert Park, California, that opened on November 5, 2013. It is owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and operated by Station Casinos.^[2] The casino has 3,000 slot machines, 144 table games, and a poker room.^[3] In November 2016 it opened an adjacent hotel with 200 rooms.^[4]

History[edit]

The tribe announced plans in February 2003 for a casino to be built at a 1,700-acre site on Sears Point, near the shore of San Pablo Bay.^[5] The plan sparked widespread criticism about the potential effects on wetland restoration efforts and increased traffic on Highway 37, leading the tribe to consider other locations in Rohnert Park and Petaluma.^[6] A new site on 360 acres of land west of Rohnert Park, on Stony Point Road, was announced in August 2003, with strong support from city officials.^[7]

The tribe announced in August 2005 that the planned site would move again, this time to a 90-acre site on Wilfred Avenue, closer to the city limits. The new site was said to be less environmentally sensitive, and more compliant with the county's land use plan, which had designated the Stony Point Road site for open space.^[8] Station Casinos bought the Wilfred Avenue tract for the tribe for $76 million, and also bought 180 acres of the Stony Point land for $24 million, to use for environmental mitigation projects.^[9]

The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the tribe's application to take the land into trust, a key step towards approval of a casino, in May 2008.^[10] The action was delayed, however, when a local group opposing the project, Stop the Casino 101, filed a lawsuit contesting the decision.^[11] The land was not taken into trust until October 2010, after the lawsuit failed.^[12]

A tribal-state compact was reached in March 2012 after negotiations with Governor Jerry Brown,^[13] and was soon ratified by the California State Legislature.^[14] Construction work began the following June.^[15] The tribe secured $825 million to fund the project, the greatest amount ever financed for an Indian casino.^[16]

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The casino opened on November 5, 2013.

In January 2015, the tribe secured $450 million in financing for the resort, including up to $200 million to build a hotel. Hotel construction began in September 2015, and the six-story, 200-room hotel opened in November 2016.^[17] Plans for a new hotel wing with an additional 200 rooms were announced in April 2017.^[18]

In May 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal in Stop the Casino 101 v. Brown, in which anti-casino activists claimed that the tribe's trust land was not properly removed from state jurisdiction. The rejection by the Supreme Court ended the lawsuit.^[19]

Operations[edit]

The casino is managed by Station Casinos, a Las Vegas firm, which has a seven-year agreement with the tribe to manage the casino. The tribe paid $20.4 million in management fees in the first nine months of operations. The casino has 3,000 slot machines and 144 blackjack, poker and baccarat tables. It is open 24 hours per day, every day of the year.^[20]

The tribe makes payments to offset the impacts of the casino. As of 2014, the tribe was paying about $8 million annually to the city of Rohnert Park, and $5 million to Sonoma County.^[20]

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References[edit]

1. ^Carey Sweet (October 2, 2013). 'A peek inside the star-studded restaurants at the Graton Resort & Casino, due next month'. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
2. ^Howard Stutz (September 19, 2013). 'Station Casinos announces Northern California project will open Nov. 5'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
3. ^Laith Agha (October 3, 2013). 'Embattled North Bay casino opens doors for a preview'. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
4. ^Morris, J.D.; Fixler, Kevin (December 1, 2018). '5 years later: How Graton casino has changed Sonoma County'. Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
5. ^Clark Mason; Sam Kennedy (April 24, 2003). 'Casino near Sears Point proposed by Miwoks'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
6. ^Michael Flaherty (August 18, 2003). 'Alternate sites identified for casino'. Marin Independent Journal. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
7. ^Peter Fimrite (August 20, 2003). 'Casino? In a cow pasture?'. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
8. ^Clark Mason (August 13, 2005). 'RP casino plans shift to new location'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
9. ^Clark Mason (September 15, 2005). '$100 mill ion paid for RP casino site'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
10. ^Paul Payne (May 8, 2008). 'Tribe clears major hurdle in bid for RP casino'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
11. ^Bob Norberg (July 3, 2009). 'Lawsuit delays Rohnert Park casino land trust'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
12. ^Jeremy Hay (October 5, 2010). 'RP casino project clears major hurdle'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
13. ^Jeremy Hay (March 30, 2012). 'Governor grants gaming compact for Rohnert Park casino'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
14. ^Jeremy Hay (May 11, 2012). 'Assembly OKs RP casino'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
15. ^'Tribal leader speaks out: RP casino work under way'. The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, CA. June 24, 2012. – via NewsBank (subscription required)
16. ^Chris Sieroty (August 16, 2012). 'Tribal project overseen by Station Casinos secures financing'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2013-10-27 – via Casino City Times.
17. ^Michael Bodley (November 18, 2016). 'Graton casino's $175 million hotel opens to the public'. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
18. ^'Graton Casino proposes to add 200 more rooms'. North Bay Business Journal. April 17, 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
19. ^'Supreme Court won't hear challenge to Graton Rancheria casino'. Indian Gaming. May 27, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
20. ^ ^abBrown, Matt, and Randi Rossmann (November 15, 2014). 'A year later, Graton casino's impacts limited'. The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2015-07-27.

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