Hard Rock Casino Tejon has opened its doors with a bang with a public Guitar Smash opening ceremony in California’s Kern County.
The opening marks the first full-scale gaming and entertainment site in Kern County, around 80 miles north of LA. The casino complex is the result of a $600 million investment, developed in a partnership between Hard Rock and the Tejon Indian Tribe.
Honored to celebrate the grand opening of the Hard Rock Casino Tejon.
PENTA is incredibly proud to partner with the Tejon Indian Tribe and @hardrock to bring this historic vision to life. This project is the first full-scale gaming and entertainment property in Kern County. pic.twitter.com/eQsk3Dyzuh— The PENTA Building Group (@PentaBG) November 14, 2025
Hard Rock celebrated the opening with a Guitar Smash Ceremony, complete with a color guard presentation, tribal blessing, and $100,000 charitable donation. As part of the celebration, multi-platinum country artist Brett Young played an exclusive live performance.
Doors opened to the public at midday on November 14. The casino is said to have created more than 1,000 permanent jobs in the county.
“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. We are proud to see this project come to life and to celebrate this moment alongside our partners and our community.”
Inside Hard Rock Casino Tejon
Across the site’s 150,000 square feet, Hard Rock Casino Tejon features more than 2,000 state-of-the-art slot machines, over 50 table games – including Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, and Baccarat – several VIP high-limit rooms, and the typical Hard Rock dining options.
That naturally includes a Hard Rock Cafe, as well as the Marketplace Food Hall – featuring various fast food outlets such as Constant Grind, Street Tacos, The Roost, and Brick’d Italian Kitchen – and Deep Cut Steaks & Seafood.
The plans to develop the casino site further are ongoing, with the next phase including a 400-room hotel and a 2,800-seat Hard Rock Live venue for concerts and live performances.
“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.”
This comes on the heels of Hard Rock also opening doors on a new site in Ottawa.
Featured image: Hard Rock International
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