A planned Rockford casino is one step closer to reality.
The Illinois Gaming Board has given preliminary approval to the city’s Hard Rock
Casino proposal. The decision allows work to begin behind-the-scenes on both a
temporary and permanent gaming location. However, a final ruling on license approval
still is pending.
“This is exciting for the whole region,” said State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford.
“Hard Rock is one of the most known brand names across the world. To have this brand
in this region, is gonna make a big difference.”
Syverson long has pushed for a gaming license for Rockford and was a leading advocate
of a 2019 gambling expansion package that allows for up to six new casinos in Illinois.
“I took a lot of heat when we first pushed this when I said we really need to be unified
and submit a single application, knowing that if we said submitted multiple applications
to the state, that that would create a problem,” Syverson said. “Sure enough, here we are.
Rockford's the only one approved.”
In a statement, state officials noted that the process isn’t over yet.
“A determination for preliminary suitability is an important step forward in the licensing
process, but is not final licensure,” said Joe Miller, director of policy for the Illinois
Gaming Board. “Nor is preliminary suitability a guarantee of final licensure.”
Before submitting the city’s application to the Gaming Board, Rockford leaders
coalesced around a single potential site, along Interstate 90 on the city’s east side, and a
single operator, Hard Rock.
The plan includes a 65,000-square-foot casino, a Hard Rock Café, and a 1,600-seat Hard
Rock Live venue.
“Now plans have to be submitted for the temporary casino, the drawings and the details
of it, that has to be approved,” Syverson said. “Then they have to submit, and the gaming
board has to approve, the drawings for the permanent casino.”
A site for a temporary casino, not far from the permanent location, already has been
identified. Syverson hopes it might be up and running within 90 days. Groundbreaking on
the main site, meanwhile, could take place by summer, pending final action by the Board.
In a statement, Miller said the Illinois Gaming Board does not speculate on timelines for
any future regulatory actions.
However, it appears the Rockford application is the closest of the six casinos approved in
the 2019 gambling expansion package to final approval.
“While we took some heat to say, ‘Let's be unified with the single location,’” Syverson
said, “the end result is Rockford is the only one approved. The others are going to be a
long way away.”
Work continues on potential licenses for casinos in Danville, Waukegan and south
suburban Cook County. A potential Chicago site has not yet been determined.
“All these other casinos are delayed and Chicago is delayed, but the revenues from those
casinos are what's supposed to be going into the state's capital plans,” Syverson said.
“That's the money that's supposed to be used for rebuilding our infrastructure, our
schools, our state buildings, our roads. That's all being delayed.”
Revenue from the gambling expansion package was earmarked to help fund “Rebuild
Illinois,” a six-year, $45 billion capital infrastructure plan.