Hard Rock Is Set to Open Its Rockford Temporary Casino in October

In a virtual vendor session on Wednesday, Hard Rock International announced that the Rockford Hard Rock Casino in Illinois will be open in October. The virtual session allowed local businesses to learn more about the opportunities that lie ahead at this temporary casino.

The Illinois Gaming Board Approved the Team

There will be both a temporary and a permanent casino in Rockford and several investors, developers, suppliers, and CEOs are working to make that happen. The Mayor of Rockford, Tom McNamara, stated that even though there is a lot of construction on-site, the team is dedicated to move forward and complete the project within 90-120 days.

Logically, the temporary casino by Hard Rock needs a team for the whole operation. The good news is that the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) approved the team and gave the green light for their respective licenses.

Dave Syverson, the 35th District State Senator, stated that the last thing that the gaming board will do is visit the casino and approve the games. This is the final step and is likely to be completed just before the Hardrock Casino opens up.

Syverson also added that the race against the time is on because Beloit will also open a casino that is run by the Ho-Chunk Nation and it only needs the federal government to approve it. According to him, it will probably take the Hard Rock casino two years before it is open. Even though the temporary site will be open by the end of 2021, the next step would be getting the state’s approval on the permanent site so that it, too, can be constructed. Hence, realistically, the entire project will be finished in two years.

The Next Step for the Permanent Hard Rock Casino

Syverson stated that the next step is the approval of the property’s blueprints. But, they will have to be approved by both the IGB, as well as the city of Rockford. McNamara is optimistic about the process, as he hopes for that to come soon.

Speaking on that note, McNamara said that he hopes that they are going to be the first to achieve this milestone, and from the looks of it, that scenario is likely to turn into reality.

Marcus Fruchter, the administrator of the IGB, stated that Illinois residents have been quite active, which is a good sign for the future addition to the casino market. In May alone, residents spent $2 billion on casino games. That includes video game establishments and casino facilities. This resulted in the state’s revenue being $228 million. The money was used to fund schools and fix roads.