METTLER, Calif.—Moorefield Construction Inc. has announced the completion and turnover of a new dual‑facility public‑safety complex in Mettler, delivering both a Fire Station and a Sheriff Station for the Tejon Gaming Authority. The project, executed under a Design‑Build contract, marks a major milestone in the expansion of public‑safety infrastructure supporting the rapidly developing region surrounding the future Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon.
The project moved from initial design through plan check, permitting, and full construction in just 16 months—an accelerated timeline for two ground‑up emergency‑service facilities. Notably, the vertical construction phase was completed in only nine months, a pace Moorefield attributes to a highly coordinated Design‑Build process and unusually strong alignment among all stakeholders.
The new facilities were developed in partnership with the Hard Rock Casino Tejon team, Hard Rock International, the Kern County Fire Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, BRW Architects and their consulting partners, and the Kern County Building Trades Council. According to Moorefield, the project’s success reflects a shared commitment to collaboration, transparency, and schedule certainty across tribal, county, and private‑sector partners.
The Fire Station and Sheriff Station are designed to enhance emergency response capabilities for both the local community and the anticipated influx of visitors to the Hard Rock development. While specific program elements were not disclosed, the facilities include modern operational spaces to support firefighting, law‑enforcement, and emergency‑response functions, ensuring readiness for a growing service area at the southern gateway to Kern County.
Moorefield emphasized that the project demonstrates what can be achieved when agencies and builders work in lockstep from concept through completion. The Design‑Build delivery model allowed for streamlined communication, faster decision‑making, and early coordination with permitting authorities—factors that proved essential to meeting the aggressive timeline.
The company also highlighted the contributions of its subcontractors and the local union workforce, noting that the project generated significant construction activity and supported skilled trades across the region.
As the Tejon Gaming Authority continues to build out the broader Hard Rock Tejon development, the new public‑safety complex stands as one of the first major infrastructure components to come online. Moorefield describes the project as both a community investment and a model for future cross‑jurisdictional collaboration in public‑safety design and construction.
