Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County to open luxurious hotel addition

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- Graton Resort & Casino, just outside Rohnert Park in Sonoma County, is less than two months away from opening up a $175 million hotel addition to its 340,000 square-foot gambling floor. On Wednesday, they took reporters on a tour.

Up to this point, out-of-towners who wanted to visit the wine country and do some gambling had to pick an off-site hotel property. In November, that will all change.

From the new outdoor pool, to the interior walls, to the electrical wiring, it is literally a work in progress.

"We've always had the restaurants, the casino, the entertainment, the transportation," said Vice President and General Manager Joe Hasson. "Now we can take care of lodging needs as well."

The Graton Rancheria tribe, owners of the casino and resort, is finally adding a resort: a 200 room hotel with spa at a cost of $175 million. Add in the $800 million it cost to build the gambling complex, and you're getting close to $1 billion.

"People can come and enjoy entertainment," said tribal chairman Greg Sarris. "They can game, they can tour wine country, and now enjoy a spa in first-class facilities."

A standard room is 500 square-feet. It will run $399 a night midweek and $499 on weekends. Those prices will likely come down. Luxury suites run up to 2,600 square-feet. The price? Don't ask.

They say it'll be capable of handling conventions of 2,000 people as well as generating a lot of new jobs.

"There will be approximately 200 more jobs, which means we'll have a total of about 2,000 team members here," said Sarris.

A local pastor who opposed the casino from the start now worries the hotel will lure prostitutes to the area.

"The dirty secret about the casino is prostitution and the new hotel is only going to add to this problem of the exploitation of women," said Pastor Chip Worthington with Assemblies of God.

Hotel officials say security officers and police will keep an eye out for such crimes.

The hotel is set to open Nov. 15.