Gaming and hospitality veteran Mike Bean has been named Property President of
Hard Rock Casino Tejon in Mettler, California. He stepped into the role on October 5, taking the helm as the Tejon Indian Tribe and
Hard Rock International move the property into its next stage of growth.
Bean succeeds Chris Kelley, who led the property through its November 2025 opening and first year of operations. That $600 million first phase made Hard Rock Casino Tejon County’s first full-scale gaming and entertainment destination, with roughly 150,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 1,000 permanent jobs.
Bean arrives as phase two gets underway. Construction is expected to begin this month on an 11-story, 400-room hotel, a convention and events venue, additional gaming space, and new restaurants and bars, with a 2,800-seat Hard Rock Live venue also planned. In announcing the appointment, Tejon Indian Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo III said “Mike understands tribal gaming,” noting the responsibility that comes with leading an enterprise that supports a Tribal Nation and its future.
Bean brings more than 30 years of gaming and hospitality leadership to the role, much of it in tribal gaming. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa and Casino Morongo near Palm Springs. Before that, he was CEO of
Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment in Arizona, where his tenure included the company’s expansion and the opening of its fifth casino. He also served as CEO of Saginaw Chippewa Gaming Enterprises in Michigan, overseeing three properties with more than 2,800 team members, 4,200 slot machines and 664 hotel rooms.
Few executives know the work of building a property better, which is exactly what Tejon’s next phase demands. Over more than a decade with Mohegan Sun, Bean played a central role in the development, opening, and operation of Mohegan Sun Pocono Pennsylvania’s first casino. As its President, he helped turn an aging racetrack into a full casino and hotel operation with more than 2,300 slot machines, 91 table games, 21 bars and restaurants, and over 2,000 team members.
Earlier in his career, Bean was part of the team at Foxwoods Resort Casino
that grew the property from 1,200 team members to more than 12,000 during its rapid build-out. At Caesars Entertainment Hotels, Casinos & Experiences, he helped integrate Louisiana Downs into the Harrah’s Shreveport operation and later helped combine Harrah’s and Caesars Entertainment into one company. He has also held leadership roles with Boyd Gaming.
A committed community leader, Bean has served on numerous boards, including chambers of commerce, the United Way, YMCA, Volunteers of America, and community college foundations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant College and a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School.
Bentley Price Associates, Inc. congratulates Mike on his new role. We named him an Executive Operations
“Best of the Best” honoree back in July 2022, when he was leading Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, and it has been a pleasure to watch his career continue to climb. Congratulations, Mike.
