The new Hard Rock Casino Tejon officially opened its doors to the public on November 13. Located in Kern County, the new venue is the Tejon Tribe’s first casino after they were mistakenly omitted from the US Bureau of Indian Affairs official tribe list, drawn up in 1979. The casino itself is substantial, both physically and in scope.
About Hard Rock Casino Tejon
Hard Rock Tejon’s gaming space alone covers more than 150,000 sq ft. It features 58 table games and more than 2,000 slots, instantly making it one of the biggest casino venues in California and even rivaling some of the most prestigious casinos in Las Vegas.
It also includes some of the usual Hard Rock accoutrements. Sabrina Carpenter’s blue dress from her Please Please Please video, along with signed guitars from artists including Sheryl Crow, can be seen.
There are four restaurants, including a first for Hard Rock – a restaurant within a restaurant. At certain times, dividers will be erected to create a dedicated space given over to a seafood restaurant serving steak and seafood.
The opening represents the completion of the first phase of the development. Phase two will further expand on the resort with the addition of a 400-room hotel, a spa and a 2,800-seat Hard Rock Live entertainment area.
The Hard Rock tribal partnership
The opening also represents a significant milestone for the Tejon tribe. Originally recognized during the 1850s first Indian reservation, they were accidentally omitted from the 1979 Bureau of Indian Affairs official list of tribal entities.
This mistake was only rectified when they gained federal recognition in 2011. Five years later, they had started the process of acquiring the site where the casino now resides.
According to Tribal Chairman Octavio Escobedo III, they chose to partner with Hard Rock International due to their ingrained tribal ownership. The Seminole Tribe of Florida acquired the company in 2007.
Escobedo has said he hopes to use some of the finances raised by the casino to establish a residential community for tribal members, although he did caution that it would take “a tremendous amount of financial discipline” to do so, and didn’t give a timeline.
The casino promises approximately 1,100 new jobs in the Bakersfield area, and Escobedo has said that 52 members of the Tejon Tribe have already taken up jobs at the casino – he hopes to at least double this figure within the next year.
Of the opening, Escobedo said: “Today marks a historic moment for the Tejon Indian Tribe and the entire Kern County community.
“The opening of Hard Rock Casino Tejon is not only a celebration of our Tribe’s heritage and resilience, but also a bold step forward in creating opportunity and prosperity for future generations.
“This project will bring thousands of jobs, fuel economic growth, and serve as a gathering place where culture, entertainment, and community come together. We are proud to share this milestone with our friends, neighbors and partners who helped make this vision a reality.“
