Hard Rock Casino Rockford Found ‘Preliminary Suitable’ By IGB

Written By Joe Boozell on February 4, 2021
rockford casino IGB special meeting

The Hard Rock Casino Rockford project was deemed by the Illinois Gaming Board ( IGB ) on Thursday afternoon to be a crucial step toward adding an 11th casino in Illinois.

During the special session, IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter reminded guests that while this is a preliminary stage, it does not guarantee a certificate.”

Hard Rock is now one step closer to securing approval, although it’s not yet final. It is now able to commence the game’s construction and place orders for gaming machines.

Officials from Hard Rock and 815 Entertainment presented to the board last week.

Fruchter hinted at an unrelated investigation involving one of the main figures from Hard Rock. He urged 815 Entertainment to promptly and cooperatively address queries from the IGB, according to his statement.

Dan Fischer, who is he?

The IGB is currently investigating DanFischer, a key member of the development team.

Dotty’s, a chain of slot machine parlors, is managed by Fischer and owned by Illinois Cafe & Service Co. The company is alleged to have purchased a second set of parlors in 2018 in a deal that has been claimed in court as a sham.

The investigation into Fischer is still underway, and no disciplinary actions have been taken by the IGB as of yet.

According to Joe Miller, the spokesperson for the gaming board, the situation could swing in any direction. He made this statement before today’s special session, “We don’t comment on any potential, current, or ongoing investigations.”

What we know about the Hard Rock is Here & rsquo.

The Hard Rock Casino would be located in Rockford, the fifth-largest capital in Illinois.

It & rsquo is located about an hour and a half northwest of Chicago.

The casino is planned to have a gaming space of 64,000 feet. Once it becomes operational, it is estimated to create over 1,000 full-time and part-time jobs.

The plan also proposes a 1,600-seat entertainment venue alongside gaming space. If given the final approval, Hard Rock also plans to operate a temporary gaming establishment.

The proposed location is situated at the intersection of I-90 and State Street. Approximately 65,000 cars are estimated to pass by this site each time.

Hard Rock International, one of the world’s most famous casino chains, now boasts 11 casinos and 29 hotels.

The plan also outlines that the casino will provide the city of Rockford with a minimum monthly repayment of $7 million.

Are there any additional games in Illinois?

The 2019 gaming expansion bill, which permits the construction of six new casinos in various regions of Illinois, has been progressing slowly since Gov. JB Pritzker enacted it into law.

Most development teams submitted their initial applications in October 2019. However, the board has already decided that this is the first new casino.

The game expanded to six areas, including Rockford. The additional ones are:

  • Chicago
  • County of Williamson
  • cities in the north
  • Waukegan
  • Danville

Currently, applications for licenses in Williamson County, Waukegan, and the southern suburbs are pending.

The IGB superintendent, Marcus Fruchter, has stated that a primary suitability finding for these applicants could possibly be ready by April.

Here are the current candidates for game licenses:

    Rivers Waukegan Casino & nbsp, CDI – RSG WaUKEgan, LLC( Waukegan License )

  • Waukegan License, Full House Resorts, Inc., American Place & nbsp
  • North Point Casino, operating under Lakeside Casino LLC (Waukegan License)
  • Southland LIVE, LLC, operating under the South Suburban License, also known as Live & nbsp.
  • The company South Suburban Development, LLC has a license to construct a suburb.
  • Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort, LLC, Williamson County License
  • Wind Creek, LLC – South Suburban License

Conversely, Chicago and Danville have progressed further than any of these teams.

The progress of the Chicago casino project is notably slow. Currently, it still lacks a location and an operator.

On the other hand, we are aware that Danville will bear the Golden Nugget branding. However, they have yet to submit materials to the IGB, and we are familiar with the lengthy process that follows such submissions.

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Boozell, Joe

Since 2015, Joe Boozell has been a college sports writer for NCAA.com. His work has also been featured on Bleacher Report, FoxSports.com, and NBA.com. During his youth in the Chicago basketball scene, Boozell had the opportunity to play against both Anthony Davis and Frank Kaminsky – with predictable results.

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