A $275 doughnut is now part of Wine Country resort's $1 billion expansion
Graton Resort & Casino's latest bid to bring a little Las Vegas flash to Sonoma County comes with a smoke-free casino wing, a rooftop restaurant, a summer lineup of big-name performers, and a $275 gold-leaf doughnut.
The Rohnert Park resort, owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, marked the expansion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 4, followed by a red carpet celebration May 7 at AYA, the resort's new rooftop restaurant.
The guest list leaned into the casino's entertainment ambitions. Rapper E-40, actor and host Mario Lopez, actor Carmen Electra, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella and former San Francisco Mayor London Breed were among the celebrities announced for the event.
Former Golden State Warriors player Festus Ezeli, former San Francisco Giants All-Star Hunter Pence, chef Charlie Palmer and local Wine Country chefs and winemakers were also expected to attend.
The spectacle is part of a larger push to make Graton not just a gambling destination, but a North Bay hub for dining, concerts and nightlife.
Graton unveiled a 144,000-square-foot smoke-free gaming area, new dining concepts and a broader entertainment strategy aimed at drawing visitors beyond the casino floor.
The expansion is part of a multiyear, $1 billion project that has already reshaped one of the region's largest hospitality properties. Future phases are expected to add more hotel rooms and a larger entertainment venue.
AYA is led by chef Roy Ellamar and centers on coastal California cooking with Filipino and Hawaiian influences. The restaurant gives Graton a culinary centerpiece as it competes not just with other casinos, but with Wine Country's broader restaurant and entertainment scene.
Datebook Picks
Theater
In Awesome Theatre's ‘Bloodline,' who really owns a haunted plantation?
Music
See Chaka Khan up close at this intimate Oakland performance
Music
Kitschy internet star brings bedroom pop to San Francisco
Graton is making a similar push onstage. It's "A World Apart" summer series brings E-40, Kehlani, Matt Rife, Ludacris, Martin Lawrence, John Legend, BINI and Hanson to the Event, the resort's 2,000-seat venue.
"With our ‘A World Apart' entertainment series, we're not just booking shows; we're creating moments people will talk about long after they leave," Jeremy Weinstein, Graton's chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
The expansion deepens the resort's role in Sonoma County's economy and tourism landscape. Graton opened in 2013 and has grown into a major regional employer, with the tribe and resort officials emphasizing jobs, dining and entertainment as central to the property's next phase.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 7:21 PM.