Northern California’s Graton Resort & Casino has a new general manager.
Lana Rivera was appointed to the position by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Las Vegas-based Station Casinos, which manages the resort. The property is situated near Santa Rosa in the town of Rohnert Park, approximately 45 minutes north of San Francisco.
Lana Rivera, Graton GM
Rivera, who has 25 years of tribal casino experience, is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Oklahoma. She spent the last 15 years with Cherokee Nation Entertainment in Oklahoma, which operates the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa. She became general manager of the Hard Rock in 2016 after first serving as the property’s director of gaming operations and director of casino operations. She began her career as a card game dealer for Harrah’s Casino in Joliet, Illinois, in the 1990s.
Greg Sarris, tribal chairman for Graton Rancheria, said in a statement that Rivera is an “accomplished and qualified” general manager and gaming executive.
“In addition to her many professional achievements, we’re also proud to have an American Indian woman at the helm of our business,” Sarris said.
Graton opened in 2013. The casino has 3,000 slot machines, 144 table games, and a poker room. Three years later, the property opened a 200-room hotel.
“I’m truly excited to apply these years of hard work and dedication to my new role,” Rivera said. “This organization has redefined what it means not only to be a leader in the industry, but also a leader in the community. I look forward to driving our team forward to continue offering the best experiences possible for our guests and our community.”
According to the statement, Rivera is also the designer and patent inventor of two products: “card craps” and a lighted phone charger and holder. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno’s executive development program for strategic leadership in the gaming industry.
