Deputy Editor
Hard Rock Tejon will soon open in California, and it will bring one of the most comprehensive casino experiences yet to the state. However, poker players will be left out in the cold, as the new property has no plans to include a room.
That’s disappointing news, seeing as Hard Rock properties elsewhere, especially in Florida, have some of the most thriving poker rooms in the country.
Hard Rock Tejon to Open in November
Hard Rock Tejon is scheduled to open Nov. 13, about a month ahead of schedule, according to a recent report. It will be located about 90 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles on I-5, just south of Bakersfield. The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International have joined forces to open and operate the property.
With a reported 150,000 square feet of gaming space, its size will rival premium Las Vegas properties like Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand. The Hard Rock Tejon website touts more than 2,000 slots and 50 tables among its gaming amenities.
A mention of a poker room is conspicuously missing. But one can find a definitive statement by digging into the site’s FAQ section:
There are no current plans for a poker room.
A poker player could be forgiven for expecting one. After all, Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in the Miami area hosts some of the most well-attended poker tournaments in the country. It also boasts a bustling cash room with more than 40 tables. The Tampa property has a similarly-sized room. Hard Rock Hotel and Casinos Tulsa has a 14-table room and regularly hosts World Series of Poker Circuit and RunGood Poker Series stops.
Unfortunately, it appears that the California property will focus on non-poker offerings.
Leaving Poker Market to California Card Rooms?
While Hard Rock has a lot of brand name recognition, those running the Tejon property may feel that opening a poker room so far from L.A. would be a tough sell. Although California tribes have a monopoly on casino gaming, local poker players have no shortage of options for player-banked, card-based gaming.
Los Angeles, in particular, already features numerous well-established card rooms. Places like The Bicycle Hotel & Casino and The Commerce Casino & Hotel have dealt big games and hosted huge tournaments for years.
A high-profile lawsuit recently threatened these properties’ non-poker business models. However, a Judge Lauri Damrell indicated she’s likely to dismiss the case, declaring it a federal matter.
Meanwhile, online poker in California looks like it faces imminent extinction. Poker sites operating under the sweepstakes model need a gubernatorial veto, or they’ll soon leave the market.
Image credit: Farragutful/Wikimedia Commons (license)
