New $725M mega-hotel breaks ground near LA: Destination spot

Sin City, say your prayers.Southern California’s booming casino scene is about to hit another major jackpot — with a massive $725 million Hard Rock hotel and convention center breaking ground just north of Los Angeles.The move comes after gamblers flocked to an already-built Hard Rock casino opened at the Tejon Pass site in 2025 — showing up in staggering numbers that reportedly took the project’s developers by surprise.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Gambling has exploded into a money making juggernaut in the region, with regional heavyweights like Morongo and Yaamava’ packing in high rollers.

But Hard Rock leaders were apparently unable to predict the extend of the demand for the 150,000-square-foot facility, located barely an hour up the 5 from LA’s San Fernando Valley.The plink-plonk paradise’s overwhelming popularity hasn’t slowed, either — with casino bosses saying they’ve been scrambling to hire more employees and add gambling machines to keep up with the crowds.“I’ve never been in a casino that has 100% occupancy.We had every single one of those slots full,” Jeff Hook, chief operating officer of Hard Rock International, told SFGATE of the opening.This week, officials from the Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International threw a groundbreaking ceremony for a hotly-anticipated hotel and resort expansion — designed to morph the casino into a full-scale getaway.

Set to open by summer 2028, the ambitious development will include 406 luxury guest rooms (featuring 119 VIP suites), and 900 additional slot machines, which brings the gaming floor’s fire-power up to 3,000 slots.The luxury oasis will also sport two “resort-style” pools with cabanas, daybeds, and a 13-treatment-room Rock Spa.The build will feature top-shel...