The Illinois Gaming Board voted unanimously to approve the final license for the Hard Rock permanent casino project owned by the Ho-Chunk Nation. The approval comes as the tribe awaits the final transfer of land into trust by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The tribe estimated groundbreaking and construction could happen sometime this year, but the timeline is dependent on the federal land transfer.
In Illinois, six new casinos were approved in the gaming expansion legislation approved in 2019, with Rockford’s proposal being the first to reach many steps needed in the process. The project is known as Rockford Casino: A Hard Rock Opening Act.
A temporary facility has seen strong revenue figures since opening two months ago. In November and December 2021, the casino brought in over $8.46 million in revenue. Rockford’s temporary casino brought in over $4.14 million in revenue. In total, the Illinois Gaming Board requires payments of over $1 million in state taxes and $504,361 in local taxes. The temporary facility features over 600 slot machines and electronic table games.
