Graton Resort & Casino Expands Plans for Growth
Graton Resort & Casino aims to establish itself as the largest private employer in the North Bay, with an initiative to hire 430 new employees this year.
Located in Rohnert Park, this hotel, gambling, and restaurant complex is undergoing a massive $1 billion expansion, set to simultaneously launch three new dining options on May 4. To facilitate this growth, the resort is hosting a career fair aimed at recruiting 160 culinary staff members including chefs, cooks, bartenders, and managers.
As stated by Jennifer Murphy-Ellamar, Vice President of Culinary Operations at Graton, “We are in a hiring frenzy at the moment.”
Currently, Graton employs approximately 2,440 individuals, with plans to escalate that figure to 3,200 upon completing the expansion. Graton stands alongside other major employers like Kaiser Permanente and St. Joseph Health in Sonoma County.
The expansion is backed by expectations of “several million” visitors to Graton by 2025, bolstered by a nearly 10% rise in loyalty program member visits compared to the previous year. Owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria tribe, led by chairman Greg Sarris, Graton is part of a larger trend in tribal casinos, which have seen annual revenues exceed $40 billion.
Three new dining establishments are being introduced, all opening in May. The first, Aya, is a $40 million rooftop venue offering a menu that emphasizes California coastal cuisine accompanied by Filipino and Hawaiian influences. Its offerings include local oysters, Japanese Wagyu beef, and a wine portfolio valued at $1 million.
Graton’s culinary positions are unionized, starting at $19.50 per hour for tipped roles and $20.50 for non-tipped ones, with various benefits like medical, dental, and vision insurance. Culinary degrees are not mandatory, and the resort offers its own bartending school, reflecting its commitment to workforce development.
In addition to culinary positions, other roles available this year cover areas such as security, valet services, maintenance, engineering, IT, marketing, and more. Murphy-Ellamar noted that this will be her inaugural experience of launching three restaurants concurrently. “We’re focused on becoming a premier dining destination,” she remarked, expressing the belief that dining is a form of entertainment that can be thrilling.
