California: Hard Rock Casino Tejon opens as Kern County’s first full-scale casino resort

California's new Hard Rock Casino Tejon, a $600 million project developed by Hard Rock International in partnership with the Tejon Indian Tribe, opened to the public after a Guitar Smash ceremony on Thursday.

The resort is Kern County’s first full-scale gaming and entertainment destination and is positioned 80 miles north of Los Angeles. The property represents the largest private hospitality investment in county history and is expected to reshape the local tourism landscape.

The project generated more than 1,000 permanent jobs and over 5,000 construction roles, with long-term economic benefits anticipated across the Southern San Joaquin Valley.

The 150,000-square-foot gaming floor features more than 2,000 slot machines, over 50 table games, including Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, and Baccarat, as well as VIP high-limit rooms and access to Unity by Hard Rock, the brand’s global loyalty rewards program.

The resort’s dining lineup includes the signature Hard Rock Cafe with its classic American fare and music memorabilia, along with the Marketplace Food Hall, which offers Constant Grind, Street Tacos, The Roost, and Brick’d Italian Kitchen.

New concepts debuting at the property include Deep Cut Steaks | Seafood, serving premium steaks, fresh seafood, and live entertainment, and YouYu, offering contemporary Asian cuisine influenced by Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and Vietnamese flavors.

The grand-opening celebration featured Hard Rock’s signature Guitar Smash, a tribal blessing, a color guard presentation, and a $100,000 charitable donation before doors opened at noon.

The celebration included an exclusive performance by multi-platinum country artist Brett Young, who recently released his fifth studio album, 2.0, and is slated to perform at Stagecoach 2026. His set marked the first-ever live performance at Hard Rock Casino Tejon. Guests were also treated to the casino’s first slot pull and table bet, along with culinary previews and other opening-day festivities.

"Today is a historic day for the Tejon Indian Tribe and for Kern County," said Chairman Octavio Escobedo III of the Tejon Indian Tribe. "This destination represents our Tribe's vision, resilience, and longstanding commitment to creating opportunity for future generations.”

The Tejon tribe’s partnership with Hard Rock was influenced by the company’s ownership by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Escobedo III said in a report by the Los Angeles Times. Hard Rock International has been under Seminole ownership since 2007.

For the Tejon tribe — which secured federal recognition only in 2011 after decades of administrative setbacks — the casino represents a major step toward “financial sovereignty,” Escobedo said. Long-term goals include building a residential community for the tribe’s 1,523 enrolled members, something they have lacked for more than a century.

The next stage of development will introduce a 400-room hotel and Hard Rock Live, a 2,800-seat venue designed for concerts, sporting events, and major touring acts.

"Hard Rock Casino Tejon is only the beginning," said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming. "Phase II will bring the full Hard Rock experience to life with a world-class hotel and Hard Rock Live entertainment venue that will make Kern County a premier destination for travelers, artists, and fans from across California and beyond."