LEBEC, Calif. (KERO) — The Tejon Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is expected to attract crowds to Kern county, but what does this mean for smaller communities nearby?
- Anticipation is on the rise as the Tejon Hard Rock builds upwards. But how are local communities preparing for its impact?
- Avery Elowitt with 23ABC spoke with CHP and the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce about how they prepare.
- Phase one of the Tejon Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is expected to open in late 2025.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In 2022, the reported population of Frazier Park was just over 2,700 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But the Tejon Hard Rock Hotel and Casino expects to create about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.
"It's a steady, slow grove," said BJ Saidi, president of the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce.
He says that there's a lot of excitement surrounding the hotspot set to open next year.
At the same time, this gives the community a lot to think about.
The casino will be less than a half hour away from Frazier Park, leading to one major concern– traffic.
"There is the potential for a lot of crashes. There's potential for an increase in drunk drivers on the 5 freeway going north and southbound. So that's gonna impact all three offices; us here in Tejon, Bakersfield, and also Buttonwillow. So it could change a lot of things in this area," said DC Williams with the California Highway Patrol in Fort Tejon.
He says that it's still too early to know exactly what these impacts will look like.
"... We just kind of go over all the crashes that happen in our area, calls for service, like if we're helping out of the casino," said Williams.
While much of the construction has been taking place in the summer heat, the winter weather will be more unpredictable.
"...There's gonna be a lot more probably stop-and-go, especially during the wintertime when it's raining, when there's snow, and there's ice on the roadway and we have to unfortunately shut the Grapevine down for safety reasons," said Williams.
Another concern in the community is the possible increase in crimes.
But Saidi said, "One cool thing is they will have a separate sheriff station dedicated to that area, so that will help if there's any issues of crime."
Overall, both Saidi and Williams say it's too early to know exactly what these impacts will look like, but it's something the community should keep on their radar as phase one nears completion.
Phase one of theTejon Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is expected to open in late 2025.
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