(Photo credit: Ariel Hodges)
On August 29th, 2024, Hard Rock Casino Rockford opened its doors to the public, with a ceremonial signature of its brand— ‘guitar smash’. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker attended the grand opening event, who said, “[s]ince opening the temporary facility here in 2021, the Hard Rock has generated nearly $40 million in state and local revenue, much of which comes from visitors to the region, from outside the region who are enjoying themselves while contributing revenue that helps alleviate the burden on Rockford and Winnebago County taxpayers.”
(Read more here: https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/local/2024/08/29/hard-rock-casino-rockford-opens-with-guitar-smash-celebration/74979886007/)
A Brief Overview of 2019 Gaming Expansion in Illinois
In June 2019, Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker signed the gaming expansion bill into law, which authorized 6 additional casinos to be licensed in Illinois. The new law required each application for a new casino to be submitted within 120 days of the effective date of Public Act 101-31. Undergoing a competitive municipal RFP process, Hard Rock Casino Rockford became the winning bidder of the proposed permanent casino to be located within the City of Rockford. On October 7, 2019, the City of Rockford held a public meeting, formally certifying the proposal to the Illinois Gaming Board. On November 10, 2021, the temporary casino—Rockford Casino: A Hard Rock Opening Act—opened its doors to the public, becoming the first of the six casinos to receive necessary licensing approvals for operation.
O’Rourke Partner Andrew Levine and Associate Ariel Hodges previously provided counsel for the gaming regulatory and licensing issues and handled the related $250,000,000 sales/leaseback, construction loan financing and 1031 exchange. If you need legal services in related businesses, the seasoned attorneys at O’Rourke will guide you through the complexity of the gaming, regulatory and related business and transactional issues.
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