California's Graton Resort & Casino opens major 144,000-square-foot expansion

California's Graton Resort & Casino has opened its largest expansion to date, unveiling a 144,000-square-foot smoke-free dining, gaming, and entertainment district.

The new smoke-free district combines restaurants, nightlife, and expanded gaming into a single integrated destination designed around the region’s wine country identity. Guests can now move seamlessly between rooftop dining, sports viewing, craft cocktails, specialty desserts, and casino gaming within a unified environment.

“What we’ve built here is unlike anything else in Sonoma County or Northern California,” said Greg Sarris, Tribal Chairman. “This expansion is about our people, our community and our guests. Sonoma County has extraordinary food, culture and people, and we’re celebrating all of it."

"Additionally, we’re putting people to work with more than 450 new jobs right here in the North Bay," he added. "That has always been the vision: that this business lifts Indian and non-Indian alike.”

At the center of the development is AYA, a 27,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant created by Chef Roy Ellamar. The venue blends indoor and outdoor dining with panoramic views of the Sonoma Hills and a menu inspired by Northern California ingredients, shaped by Ellamar’s Filipino and Hawaiian heritage.

The restaurant emphasizes a “fish, farm, and fire” concept, featuring live-fire cooking and seasonal sourcing from local farms, ranches, and oyster producers. Much of its produce is harvested from Graton’s nearby 40-acre farm. Signature dishes include salt-baked whole fish finished tableside, coal-roasted seafood, and slow-smoked meats.

Guests enter through a wine tunnel highlighting rare international selections and Sonoma County wines. A dedicated exterior entrance also allows direct rooftop access without passing through the casino floor.

“From the first time I visited Sonoma County, I knew it was a place I wanted to cook,” said Ellamar. “The quality of the ingredients, the connection to local farmers and fishermen, and the rhythm of the seasons make wine country a chef’s dream. With AYA, I’ve been able to bring my Filipino and Hawaiian roots into that environment and create something that feels both personal and rooted in this region.”

The expansion also introduces Playbook Sports Bar, a large-scale game-day venue featuring wall-to-wall screens and a suspended halo display above the central bar. The menu elevates classic sports fare with items such as Detroit-style pizza, birria nachos, Buffalo wings, and global-inspired dishes like pastrami bánh mì and Korean-style gochujang wings. A broad craft beer program positions the venue as a hub for sporting events, fight nights, and group gatherings.

Additionally, SoCo Dough Co. offers a dessert-focused concept inspired by a modern diner. The shop serves handcrafted doughnuts featuring regional ingredients, including flavors like pistachio rose and ube honeycomb. Its signature item, the “Millionaire Doughnut,” is a $275 luxury pastry topped with gold leaf and paired with Louis XIII Cognac.

The venue also offers breakfast items, house-made gelato, and specialty beverages, operating late into the night to serve both daytime visitors and nightlife guests.

The project adds a 144,000-square-foot smoke-free gaming area with nearly 2,000 new slot machines, including new and exclusive titles. It also features The River Poker Room and the Lotus High Limit Slots lounge, designed for premium gaming experiences.

Graton Resort & Casino said the expansion is only the first phase of a multi-year development plan. Upcoming additions include a 220-room hotel tower with a private VIP entrance, an adults-only pool with cabanas and live entertainment, and a 3,500-seat theater for concerts, residencies, and major events.