Wisconsin Casino Plans Means Nearby Hard Rock Rockford Project Better Start Rolling

Last year, Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin approved a $405 million development plan for the town of Beloit near the Illinois border.

It is anticipated that the game in Beloit will proceed, as Wisconsin governors typically support state involvement in gaming projects. The Bureau of Indian Affairs must then give final approval.

Evers stated:

We must put in place all necessary measures to enhance economic growth in communities across our state as we work towards recovering from this pandemic.

Wisconsin does not allow legal sports betting or online gambling, but the Badger State is home to 26 casinos.

Alongside the casino, hotels, and convention centers, the building may also include a 40,000 square foot waterpark. It would be conveniently located near Interstates 39 and 90.

Furthermore, it would be situated roughly 20 kilometers from Rockford, Illinois, where plans are in progress to open the Hard Rock Casino.

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) is notorious for its lengthy approval process for new casino applicants. Despite being deemed “preliminary suitable” in February, Hard Rock Rockford has yet to receive final approval from the IGB.

The Wisconsin plan seems to have less red tape, raising worries for a Illinois senator that a casino in Beloit might open before one in Rockford.

Illinois senator: Wake up, Wisconsin casino a & lsquo,

State Senator Dave Syverson, who represents Illinois’ 35th District, has consistently spoken out about the slow casino application process of the IGB.

Syverson told ABC Rockford that he hopes this will be a wake-up call for the state. He also mentioned that historically, the upcoming competition may present a significant challenge for them.

Theoretically, the game that releases second could have a major edge in drawing in customers.

If Wisconsin opens a casino before us, people will get used to going there, making it harder to draw them back to our local casinos.

Some may find it ironic that, out of the six new casino licenses up for grabs in Illinois, the Rockford application is moving forward the quickest.

Hard Rock Rockford is the only new casino proposal that has been deemed suitable by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). It appears that final approval will be granted by the IGB in due course. Nevertheless, the current focus is on more immediate matters.

Syverson cautioned that this outcome was a possibility if the programs were not expedited or approved. Now that Beloit has received approval, they can begin without further delay.

You can obtain IL game certificates in Waukegan, Danville, Williamson County, southern cities, and Chicago.

The next appointment for the IGB is scheduled for April 21st.

2019 saw Hard Rock Rockford submit a permit application.

Several candidates, including Hard Rock Rockford, submitted applications for game registration in October 2019.

The IGB was supposed to provide a response within a year, but as October 2020 approached, the decision deadline was postponed by the IGB at least six more times.

The committee meeting on April 21 will discuss the six-month timetable, which is the approximate planned timeframe. The appointment schedule will be released 48 hours prior to the meeting.

For fans of IL games, the best-case scenario would be the final approval of Hard Rock Rockford and other gaming options, along with the initial eligibility and success of a game in Waukegan, Williamson County, in the southern residential area. Danville and Chicago are not as far along in the approval process compared to other regions.

Given the current sequence of events, it appears unlikely that all of that could occur in a single swift motion.