By Sean Ridgway, TME
On Friday, November 7, the Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International unveiled a new landmark, their internationally known iconic guitar, that will light up the Kern County skies on the site of the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon in Mettler.
At the unveiling, Hard Rock Vice President of Memorabilia Giovanni Tellefero spoke about the details of the guitar, revealing that the structure can be seen from miles away and called it, “an impressive statement to welcome guests.”
Standing at 57 feet tall and weighing nearly 10 tons, the iconic Hard Rock Fender guitar is an impressive welcome, towering just off Highway 99. The guitar took 78 days to build and required more than 4,000 individual man-hours to complete fabrication of this monument. The completion of the guitar is one of the final steps before the resort opens its doors to the public on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 12 p.m.
Tribal Council Member Tommy Gonzalez performed a traditional tribal blessing at the ceremony, praying for the safety of the workers, visitors, and elders, while honoring the tribe’s ancestors “whose prayers and perseverance carries us through centuries of challenge and change.” Tejon Indian Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo III took to the stage and called the occasion “sacred,” saying that the moment will “guide future generations.”
“This guitar will serve as a beacon of pride and identity, welcoming guests to Hard Rock Tejon and symbolizing the tribe’s strength, culture, and promise of a new era in economic development,” said Escobedo. “It’s more than a moment,” he added,” it’s a living testament to renewal, resilience, and remembrance.
“Every time someone drives by, they’ll see a reflection of our determination and our commitment to building something lasting,” Escobedo said. “As this guitar lights up the sky tonight, let it remind us that the Tejon Indian Tribe is not just honoring its past, but defining our future.”
Hard Rock Tejon President Chris Kelley described the occasion as a symbol of collaboration and creativity between the tribe, Hard Rock International, and the local community, using the guitar as a metaphor.
“When the individual strings of a guitar are played, it’s the vibrations that create the music,” Kelley told the crowd. “The collaboration of the Tejon Tribe, Hard Rock International, and our entire community, with its own perspective, history, skill, and rhythm, has set the stage for a band worth watching and a lead guitar that is impossible to miss… This towering guitar is more than steel and light, it’s a symbol of the Hard Rock spirit and the beginning of a new era for entertainment in this region.”
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon is set to open its doors on November 13, 2025, featuring a 150,000-square-foot gaming floor, multiple restaurants, and the Hard Rock’s renowned collection of music memorabilia. Kelly described it as an entertainment destination where, “the music never stops.”
The guitar symbolizes the continuation of tradition. In Kelley’s own words, “When we strum the first chord on November 13, let it ring with the warmth of our past, present, and excitement around the future that is just beginning. Hard Rock Tejon won’t just make noise, it will make music that brings this beautiful place to life.”
Photo captions:
Above: Hard Rock girls at the unveiling
Above: Tribal Council Member Tommy Gonzalez performs blessing
Above: President Chris Kelley
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This is part of the November 14, 2025 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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