Hard Rock Casino Tejon Breaks Ground On New Hard Rock Hotel As Part Of A $725M Expansion

Coming Summer 2028: Major Expansion Will Bring 406-Room Hotel, New Gaming, Dining, Spa and Resort Amenities to Kern County and Create More Than 350 New Jobs

Images, B-roll footage from the groundbreaking ceremony, and renderings are available here

METTLER, Calif., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International today celebrated the groundbreaking of the next major phase of Hard Rock Casino Tejon, a more than $725 million investment that will transform the property into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon, a full-service resort and entertainment destination.

Tribal leaders, Hard Rock executives, elected officials, community leaders and project partners gathered at the property today to commemorate the start of construction on the expansion, which will add a 406-room hotel, expanded gaming, new dining and entertainment offerings, convention and meeting space, resort-style pools and a full-service Rock Spa® with an anticipated opening of Summer 2028.

The project is expected to create more than 1,500 construction jobs during development, representing another significant investment in jobs, tourism and economic activity in Kern County and the Southern San Joaquin Valley.

"Today marks another historic milestone for the Tejon Indian Tribe and the vision we have worked generations to achieve," said Octavio Escobedo III, Chairman of the Tejon Indian Tribe. "Hard Rock Casino Tejon has already created jobs, opportunity and economic benefits for our Tribe and the surrounding community. This next investment builds upon that success and brings us closer to our long-term vision of creating a world-class resort destination that will serve our guests, strengthen our regional economy and create opportunities for generations to come."

The centerpiece of the expansion will be a Hard Rock Hotel, offering a range of king and double-queen accommodations including 119 suites complemented by resort style pools and a Rock Spa®. The hotel will complement an expanded collection of resort, dining, gaming, meeting and entertainment amenities.

The expansion will include:

• 406 hotel rooms, including 119 suites
• 900 additional slot machines, bringing the property to 3,000 slots
• Addition of Council Oak Steaks & Seafood
• Two additional dining outlets in The Marketplace
• A new Center Bar
• Multi-use convention and event space, including three smaller meeting and conference rooms, pre-function space and an outdoor event lawn
• Two resort-style pools featuring cabanas and daybeds
• Rock Spa®, featuring 13 treatment rooms

"This groundbreaking represents an exciting next chapter for Hard Rock Casino Tejon," said Mike Bean, Property President of Hard Rock Casino Tejon. "In less than a year, this property has established itself as a premier gaming and entertainment destination in California. The addition of the hotel and these exceptional resort amenities will allow us to elevate the guest experience even further, attract visitors from across California and beyond, and create a true destination resort that reflects the energy, hospitality and entertainment Hard Rock is known for around the world."

The addition of the hotel and amenities will create 1,500 construction jobs, as well as an additional 350 permanent positions, bringing Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon to more than 1,700 permanent positions.

The expansion follows the successful opening of Hard Rock Casino Tejon in November 2025. Located on Tejon Indian tribal land in Mettler, less than 15 miles south of Bakersfield, the property has quickly become a major entertainment and tourism destination for Kern County and California's Southern San Joaquin Valley.

Construction on the expansion begins immediately following today's groundbreaking ceremony. Additional details regarding the project, including construction milestones and the anticipated opening timeline, will be announced as development progresses.

About Hard Rock Casino Tejon 

Since its opening, Hard Rock Casino Tejon has positioned itself as a premier entertainment destination along the I-5 corridor, just 90 minutes north of Los Angeles. The property features 150,000 square feet of gaming space, 2,100 slot machines, over 60 table games, and multiple dining destinations, including the iconic Hard Rock Cafe, The Marketplace, Deep Cut Steak | Seafood and YouYu.

The entertainment venue is located less than 15 miles south of Bakersfield, on Tejon Indian tribal land in Mettler, situated at the southernmost tip of California's Southern San Joaquin Valley and nestled near the base of the historic Grapevine Mountain Pass that connects Southern California to the Central Valley. This region of the San Joaquin Valley is home to one of the most productive agricultural counties in the country and is the center point of the state with access to the Central Coast and both Northern and Southern California within a couple hours' drive.

About Hard Rock^® 
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in nearly 80 countries spanning more than 300 venues including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops^®, Live Performance Locations and Cafes. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia with more than 89,000 pieces displayed at locations around the globe. The Unity™ by Hard Rock global loyalty program rewards members for doing the things they love across participating properties. In addition, Hard Rock Digital spotlights the sports betting and iGaming experience with products remixed in the spirit of Hard Rock for players worldwide.

HRI has received numerous industry, destination and workplace awards across the travel, hospitality, gaming, entertainment and food & beverage sectors. HRI currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB), Moody's Investors Service (Baa2), and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.

SOURCE Hard Rock International