Hard Rock Casino Rockford opens with pomp and flair

ROCKFORD – Cheap Trick’s mega hit “I Want You to Want Me” rang true Thursday as hundreds of people waited to get inside the brand-new multimillion-dollar Hard Rock Casino Rockford.

“I am excited to see how it looks,” said Jason McGee, 40, of Rockford as he waited outside the 175,000-square-foot gaming and entertainment venue. “I usually go to Elgin.”

And that is exactly what city, county and state officials, along with financial backers of the initiative, intended when the idea for the venue was birthed almost 10 years ago.

Located where the Clock Tower Inn used to stand at 7801 E. State St. on the city’s northeast side, the 64,000-square-foot gaming floor includes 1,300 slot machines, 50 live table games, six poker tables and a sportsbook. It also houses six eateries with a wide range of dining options and a Rock Shop featuring custom Hard Rock-branded merchandise.

But more importantly for live music lovers, it offers a state-of-art Hard Rock Live entertainment venue intertwined with a large collection of music memorabilia from a range of performers that includes Muddy Waters, Beyonce, Elton John and, of course, Rockford’s own Cheap Trick.

A large, sleek structure that features a 62-foot replica of Rockford native and Cheap Trick lead guitarist Rick Nielsen’s iconic checkerboard guitar is what Mike Vrazsity, 60, of Rockford, was excited about as he, too, waited to get inside.

“Just the entertainment part alone will be drawing in the crowds,” Vrazsity said. “I like it so far.”

The guitar stands where the former 100-foot Clock Tower stood for 50 years signaling the entry point into Rockford along the Interstate 90 tollway that borders the property to the west. The tower was demolished in 2018 as investors worked toward building the casino.

As hundreds waited outside for the doors to open to the public at 3 p.m., Hard Rock officials along with area politicians and other dignitaries presented a two-hour program inside the 2,000-seat entertainment area that included a tribute to World War II veterans, live musical performances with pyrotechnics and aerialists, along with information about the effort to bring the casino to Rockford. It ended with a group guitar smash in which dignitaries smashed prop guitars onstage.

The event started with a tribute to 10 veterans – most older than 100 – and the national anthem sung by Chicago Blackhawks icon Jim Cornelison.

Major John Lorin Borling, 84, of Chicago, a retired major general of the U.S. Air Force whose military career spanned 33 years, introduced the veterans.

“There are some big betters here,” Borling said. “They bet their lives on World War II, and they continue to march today. Freedom and responsibility. Liberty and duty. That’s the deal if you are American. That’s the deal.”

A live auction was held for audience members wherein the highest bidder would be allowed to join in on the guitar “smash” at the end of the program. A Naperville man bid $17,000, which was donated to Vets Roll, a Wisconsin-based charity that provides bus trips for veterans to Washington, D.C., war memorials.

Gov. JB Pritzker, Hard Rock International COO Jon Luas, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and Seminole Tribe of Florida Council members were some of the people who spoke during the event.

According to information provided to media members, Hard Rock International was acquired by the Seminole Tribe in March 2007 for $965 million, making the Seminoles the first North American Indian Tribe to purchase a major international corporation.

“Through its Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment subsidiary, the Tribe controls one of the world’s most recognized restaurant, hotel and casino brands, with 309 locations in 70 countries,” according to a news release. “For 50 years, Hard Rock has been guided by four founding mottos: ‘Love All Serve All,’ ‘All is One,’ ‘Save the Planet’ and ‘Take Time to Be Kind.’”

“I want to say congratulations to everyone who put in the hard work,” said Holly Tiger, Seminole Tribe of Florida vice chairwoman. “This is truly an honor for us to be here and celebrate with you. We are excited, and we just want to say congratulations.”

That sentiment was echoed by Mariann Billie, a Seminole Tribe of Florida council member. “We are thrilled to bring the iconic Hard Rock brand to this vibrant city. And we are honored to do it with the motto that resonates deeply with us: love all, serve all. And let’s not forget the power of kindness. Let’s take the time to be kind to one another.

“I also want to acknowledge the original indigenous people of this land and honor their legacy. We are proud to be part of Rockford’s economic growth, creating job opportunities for the community. Rockford’s rich history is woven into the fabric of American culture. We celebrate the contributions of Cheap Trick, one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, who call Rockford home. We also want to pay tribute to the trailblazing Rockford Peaches, who paved the way for women in sports.”

She also thanked veterans for their service and sacrifice, as well as local and state government officials and community leaders for their “unwavering” support.

“Your partnership has been instrumental in bringing us together and bringing this project to life,” Billie said. “As we celebrate this achievement, let’s not forget the true rock stars – the citizens of Rockford. We are committed to paying it forward and giving back to this incredible community. We believe in the power of music to unite, uplift, bring people together to make a positive impact. So let’s come together. Let’s rock this city. Let’s make a difference.”

Hard Rock’s philanthropy was highlighted during the presentation, with one slide indicating that $17 million had been raised for charity since 2019 globally and locally. During the presentation, $150,000 was donated to the Rockford Park District.

Luas thanked all the workers who constructed the $365 million project, which included Sterling Commercial Roofing. “It took 1,200 tradesmen and tradeswomen to build,” Luas said. “This is our eighth casino in 11 years. We continue to grow.”

‘Dream come true’

Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chirelli said the casino’s opening was a “dream come true.”

“This was not a gamble – this was a sure bet,” Chirelli said. “It’s a testament to our commitment. All the hard work paid off.”

Pritzker called the opening “another major economic win for Rockford and the entire Winnebago County,” noting 900 jobs already had been created by the project.

“And it is exciting for all of us in the state of Illinois to see it,” Pritzker said. “I understood we had a partnership. If we worked together, we could really make something happen for this region. Already this casino is paying dividends for this region.”

He said the project was completed by politicians woking together across party lines.

“We’re so proud of this Hard Rock Casino Rockford,” Pritzker said after the presentation. “I mean, look at it. It’s beautiful. We imagined this back in 2019 when we authorized it. You don’t really know until it opens its doors. This is one of the most beautiful casino operations that I have ever seen. So I must say I am very proud to have it here in Illinois – here in Rockford, one of the greatest cities in the state of Illinois.”

McNamara agreed.

“This is just one example of what can happen when we all work together,” he said. “We will continue to make positive changes with the revenue we get from the casino. Rockford is celebrating a huge win today with the opening of the long-awaited and much-desired casino. Hard Rock delivered on every promise, from its initial bid nearly five years ago to the opening of its temporary location and its commitment to the Rockford community.

“As the doors to the permanent casino open, I’m thrilled to welcome our residents and visitors to this incredible facility full of world-class gaming, dining and entertainment.”

Brent Johnson, chairman and CEO of Ringland Johnson Construction, purchased the old Clock Tower property and thanked everyone who worked on creating the facility, including hundreds of laborers. After clearing the property of the buildings, he planted winter wheat as plans for the facility advanced. Growing up in South Dakota on a farm, Johnson sent a photo of the crop to his father-in-law.

“He immediately told me it was pathetic and told me I was not going to make it as a farmer. So we decided on a casino,” Johnson said smiling.

Hard Rock Casino President Geno Iafrate welcomed visitors to the venue.

“It’s an incredible feeling to finally welcome guests to Hard Rock Casino Rockford,” Iafrate said. “The opening of this incredible entertainment powerhouse is the culmination of hard work, dedication and a shared vision. We’ve worked tirelessly to bring this world-class facility to life, and we’re excited to offer guests a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience right here in Rockford.”

Long lines of people wound around each entrance waiting to get inside the casino. The 3 p.m. opening time was delayed by a few minutes, but when the doors opened, people flocked inside. Some headed to their favorite game to try their luck, while others marveled at the 150-plus music memorabilia collection.

Giovanni Taliaferro, vice president of memorabilia and design for Hard Rock International, said he and his team hand-chose items to display, some based on geographical significance.

“We have an entire team that works on what we have here,” Taliaferro said. “We do a lot of research and due diligence. We worked hand in hand with construction, looking at the story and the aesthetics each piece offers to create our presentation.”

One of those presentations includes a vintage Cheap Trick poster from 1979, along with other music memorabilia, including clothing from the band and many other well-known artists.

John Tuttle of Oregon was impressed with the facility. He was part of the Loves Park Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guard that took part in opening the show.

“It’s an amazing place,” the Vietnam War veteran said. “It was amazing to see all the people here today who helped build it and contributed to make this for the community.”

Tuttle, a member of the Oregon VFW and chaplain for the Post, said although he understood some people could have a problem with gambling addiction, he was impressed by the philanthropic side of the venue.

“I think overall it will be a positive,” Tuttle said.