On March 24, it was announced that Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers gave approval to move forward with the Ho-Chunk Nation casino, hotel, convention center and water park resort located just miles from Rockford in Beloit, Wisconsin.

After the announcement, State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), who has championed the development of the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, expressed his frustration with the continued delay in development for the Rockford-based casino.

“I warned back in 2017 that if Illinois wasn’t more proactive in the development of the Rockford-based casino, Wisconsin would move ahead and create the economic opportunity for their state before Illinois. Now, to the detriment of the citizens of northern Illinois, here we are in the wake of Wisconsin’s progress. It’s disappointing.

“We passed historic gaming expansion back in 2019 and we are well into 2021, yet the State still has not given final approval for Rockford to move forward with the Hard Rock Casino.

“I know that we will eventually get the Rockford-based casino up and running, and when we do, it will be a game changer for our community. But it is frustrating to watch as another state takes substantive strides toward building a casino while Rockford is held stagnant. This delay will cost local government and the State of Illinois millions in lost revenue that we will never recoup.”