Hard Rock Casino Tejon Breaks Ground on $725M Hotel and Resort Expansion

METTLER, Calif. – Hard Rock Casino Tejon has broken ground on a more than $725 million expansion that will add a hotel, gaming facilities and resort amenities. The second construction phase, launched on October 21, is expected to transform the property into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon by summer 2028.

The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International marked the occasion with a ceremony attended by tribal leaders, company executives, elected officials and development partners. Construction begins less than a year after the casino opened in November 2025, bringing another major investment to Kern County.

Hard Rock Tejon Expansion Adds 406-Room Hotel and 900 Slot Machines

The centerpiece of the expansion will be a 406-room Hard Rock Hotel featuring 119 suites, with accommodations ranging from standard king and double-queen rooms to larger resort suites. The development will introduce overnight lodging to a casino property that currently operates primarily as a gaming and entertainment destination.

Gaming capacity will also increase significantly. Hard Rock plans to install 900 additional slot machines, bringing the property’s total to approximately 3,000. The existing casino offers 2,100 slot machines, more than 60 table games and approximately 150,000 square feet of gaming space.

The expansion will introduce additional dining facilities, including Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, two new food outlets within The Marketplace and a Center Bar. These additions will join existing restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe, Deep Cut Steak | Seafood and YouYu.

The project will also feature two resort-style swimming pools with cabanas and daybeds, alongside a full-service Rock Spa containing 13 treatment rooms.

Convention Facilities and New Jobs Planned for Kern County

Beyond hotel accommodations and casino gaming, the development will introduce multi-use convention and event facilities. The planned spaces include three smaller meeting and conference rooms, pre-function areas and an outdoor event lawn intended to accommodate business gatherings and entertainment activities.

Hard Rock expects construction to generate more than 1,500 jobs during development. Once the expansion is completed, approximately 350 additional permanent positions are anticipated, bringing total employment at the property to more than 1,700.

Tejon Indian Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo III described the groundbreaking as “another historic milestone” for the tribe. He said the investment builds on the employment and economic benefits already generated by the casino and advances the tribe’s long-term development plans.

Property President Mike Bean also emphasized the role of the hotel and resort amenities in attracting visitors from across California. The operator expects the expanded facilities to support longer stays and increase the property’s appeal to tourists, convention organizers and entertainment audiences.

Second Construction Phase Targets Summer 2028 Opening

The groundbreaking marks the start of construction on an expansion that has been part of the property’s development plans for several years. Earlier proposals included a hotel, additional restaurants, entertainment facilities and resort amenities, but the October 21 ceremony marks the transition into active construction.

The first phase opened in November 2025 following a development process that began with the tribe’s efforts to establish a major gaming destination in Kern County. The casino sits on Tejon Indian tribal land near Mettler, approximately 15 miles south of Bakersfield and along the Interstate 5 corridor.

Its location provides access to travelers moving between Southern California and the Central Valley, with Los Angeles approximately 90 minutes away by car under favorable traffic conditions. The additional hotel rooms and convention facilities are expected to expand the property’s role beyond casino gaming.

Hard Rock has established summer 2028 as the anticipated opening period for the expansion, although a specific completion date has not been announced. The company said further construction milestones and scheduling details will be released as development progresses.

Once completed, the second phase will substantially increase Hard Rock Tejon’s accommodation, gaming and hospitality capacity, completing another stage of the tribe’s plans to establish a larger resort destination in California’s Southern San Joaquin Valley.

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