BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Seven months after opening, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tejon says it is already making a significant economic impact in Kern County, with casino and tribal leaders pointing to new jobs, local investment and charitable giving tied to the project.

Hard Rock President Chris Kelley said the property expects to draw between two and three million people a year and a half in its first year. “Think about the impact that has on our community,” Kelley said. “But also an economic engine. They become one of the largest employers in the hospitality space in our first year alone.”

Leaders from Hard Rock Tejon and the Tejon Tribe said the casino has become a major economic driver in Kern County, creating jobs and generating new investment across the region. The tribe has also invested $10 million in a new sheriff’s and fire substation, which leaders said was funded without taxpayer dollars.

Kelley said the casino has also increased its community partnerships and donations in recent months. “Just in the last six months alone, we have partnered with over 30 different charitable organizations, countless volunteer hours, $170,000 plus that we have donated to those organizations, on top of the $10 million for the sheriff and fire substation, on top of the $600 million invested, on top of all those jobs and dollars invested,” Kelley said. “And those dollars just continue to grow.”

Tribal media spokesperson Candi Asuncion said the partnership with Hard Rock has created new opportunities and is helping build a foundation for long-term growth for the tribe.

“And, you know, for us, with the money that we’re bringing in, it means we’re gonna be able to provide for our tribal members,” Asuncion said. “We provide healthcare, education, economic development, and housing for them. We want to be able to see our tribal members thrive in that way. We want to be able to help them.”

Looking ahead, Asuncion and Kelley said discussions about a phase two expansion are already underway, a project they said could bring additional development, jobs and economic activity to Kern County.

“We work in this community, and so watching this community thrive is not just a part of what we do, it is a part of what we are,” Kelley said.