The race to build bigger, bolder land-based casinos has accelerated into a new phase this fall as tribal operators, global resort companies and legacy Las Vegas firms push ahead with large-scale openings, expansion projects and strategic retreats that together are redefining where and how people will gamble in the coming years.
Big openings and tribal momentum
One of the most consequential near-term developments is the scheduled November 13, 2025 opening of Hard Rock Casino Tejon in Mettler, California – a $600 million project developed by the Tejon Indian Tribe in partnership with Hard Rock International. The first phase will feature roughly 150,000 square feet of gaming floor space, more than 2,000 slot machines and 50-plus table games, and is projected to create thousands of jobs for Kern County while drawing millions of annual visitors. The project marks a rare, large-scale tribal-grounded development that aims to rival some Strip properties in scale and entertainment offerings. SFGate report on Hard Rock Tejon
Tribal investment remains a dominant theme across the U.S., where sovereign nations are leveraging casino development to diversify local economies and finance social programs. Several tribal projects that had been stalled by litigation or regulatory hurdles are now advancing faster after resolving land-into-trust and revenue-sharing negotiations with state and local governments.
Corporate reshuffles and the Las Vegas pipeline
At the corporate level, Las Vegas Sands and other major operators are recalibrating geographic priorities. Earlier in 2025 Las Vegas Sands withdrew its bid to build a $4 billion casino complex at the Nassau Coliseum site on Long Island, a move that underscored how political opposition, local pushback and shifting capital needs – including the company’s heavy investment in international integrated resorts – can derail high-profile U.S. proposals. Meanwhile, Strip-focused projects continue to evolve: Hard Rock’s conversion of the former Mirage site into a larger Hard Rock Las Vegas resort remains on developers’ radar even as its opening pushes into later years; Bally’s and other operators are coordinating gaming development with adjacent sports and entertainment projects, notably stadium and ballpark timelines that will influence visitor flows and demand.
Internationally, major operators are also steering capital toward overseas integrated resorts. Las Vegas Sands broke ground on a major expansion of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore in mid-2025, while Wynn Resorts has pressed ahead with its Al Marjan Island integrated resort in the United Arab Emirates. Those moves signal that operators see growth potential outside the U.S. even as domestic markets such as California, New York and Texas remain hotspots for licensing debates and community negotiations.
Regulatory battles and municipal politics
Local politics and regulation continue to shape land-based casino outcomes. New York state’s allocation of casino licenses and local municipal approvals still loom large for projects on Long Island and upstate; in Texas, proposals for casino districts remain politically fraught given the state’s constitutional limits on commercial gaming. Cities considering rezoning for resorts face intense community scrutiny over traffic, social impact and public finance tradeoffs. These debates help explain why some marquee proposals are withdrawn or delayed even as other projects move forward.
What to watch next
Key items to monitor in the coming months include the Hard Rock Tejon launch’s early economic and attendance figures; final licensing decisions and local approvals in New York and Texas that could open new regional markets; and construction milestones on international integrated resorts that may shift capital away from U.S. expansions. Operators’ quarterly earnings calls through Q1 2026 will also reveal whether capital is flowing more to tribal and regional projects or being concentrated in global mega-resorts.