- Video shows the groundbreaking ceremony of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
- In partnership with the Tejon Indian Tribe, the resort plans to give back to the community
- The resort is expected to open in 2025
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Before rolling out the red carpet, it's time to dig in the dirt!
The Tejon community celebrated the official groundbreaking for the future Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Sandra Hernandez, a member of the Tejon Indian Tribe, and her daughter, Gracie Hernandez, the tribal princess, say the tribe may be shaping the future– but remind the community they will not forget the past.
“We had so many generations that had to live through hardship and survive and resist, and this is their dream in real life today that we have economic endeavors that we can capitalize and build off of,” Sandra Hernandez said.
“When we speak our language, it’s Kitanemuk, again it’s this dream in real life that our ancestors left for us to pick up and learn, learn and grow with being able to address an audience with our tribal members, our community, and other dignities throughout California”
Through prayer and song, the Tejon Indian Tribe carries on the legacy of previous generations, sharing the losses– but also the victories.
“Everything that we’re doing is only because our ancestors survived and our language survived,” Sandra Hernandez said. “And that’s what we hope to be able to continue to share.”
Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International said, “Not every day, a billion-dollar project breaks ground, right?”
While he’s the chairman, Allen says there’s more than just business transactions.
“Create a lot of profit, a lot of success, and protect their sovereignty and their culture on a long-term basis,” Allen said. “And that’s much different than a business that has a lot more meaning, frankly.”
He adds that the project will bring in somewhere between 1,600 to 2,000 permanent jobs.
Candi Asuncion with the Tejon Indian Tribe shares her enthusiasm for the soon-to-come resort, saying it’s just the beginning for the town.
“We’re excited about this project because it’s gonna be able to create resources and services for our tribal members.”
After blessing the land and recognizing the history that took place, members throughout the community came together to ‘dig in’ to a new beginning.
“We’re blessing our land where I’m so happy that we’re able to intertwine our culture, with also this new partnership that we come with the Hard Rock International,” Asuncion said.
While the official construction process is… well, under construction… the resort is scheduled to open by 2025.
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