In the western American state of California and the $600 million plan from the Tejon Indian Tribe to bring a new casino resort to Kern County has reportedly received a large amount of public support.

According to a Thursday report from The Bakersfield Californian newspaper, the federally-recognized tribe is hoping to be given official permission to build a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino-branded facility featuring a 400-room hotel alongside a conference center, live entertainments venue, multiple restaurants and a large casino on a 306-acre site located approximately 25 miles south of the city of Bakersfield.

Project progress:

The newspaper reported that the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs last month completed its required draft environmental impact statement on the envisioned development and is now set to present this document to United States Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt for a final determination. However, The Bakersfield Californian explained that this document must first be subjected to a public consultation period that is due to run until July 27 and moreover be approved by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Employment encouragement:

The Tejon Indian Tribe has been eager to construct a casino resort ever since receiving federal recognition in 2012 while operating partner Hard Rock International reportedly more recently estimated that the planned southern Kern County venue would almost immediately generate an annual payroll worth approximately $59 million courtesy of over 2,000 full-time jobs in addition to another 3,000 construction and indirect positions.

Prominent proponent:

The media source reported that the President and Chief Executive Officer for the local Kern Economic Development Corporation, Richard Chapman, used a Wednesday public hearing into the envisioned Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tejon to declare that such a project would be ‘a game changer’ for the local area.

Chapman reportedly stated…

“We’ve all heard about the $600 million impact of the project but that does not count the future new money coming into our economy. This is going to create much needed economic parity.”

Desired diversification:

The newspaper reported that local officials have previously voiced their support for the Tejon Indian Tribe’s casino resort plan by citing the future project’s enticing financial and job prospects. This backing was purportedly continued at the Wednesday gathering as numerous area dignitaries pronounced that such a development would allow the region to move away from its current dependence on the oil and agriculture industries, which are often subject to cycles of boom and bust.