Rockford Casino celebrates first year with event that honors veterans and thanks its top customers

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A year ago today people lined up outside A Hard Rock Opening Act for their first glimpse at a casino that has been decades in the making.

Now, 12 months later, the Rockford Casino has generated more than $53.2 million in revenue and $10.8 million in gaming taxes from more than 458,000 admissions at its interim casino at 610 N. Bell School Road.

“We are attracting more visitors and greater tax revenue to the state of Illinois and the city of Rockford than we anticipated,” Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s President Geno Iafrate said. “From attendance numbers to community relationships, it’s a winner.”

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The casino celebrated its first year in business on Wednesday with a special event that paid homage to veterans and gave a special perk to the customers at the top tier of its loyalty program. It blended the celebrations because the one-year anniversary falls one day before Veterans Day, and Hard Rock wanted to make sure it showed its appreciation not only for its customers but the 20 team members who served in the armed forces.

The event featured musical entertainment, there was a special Rick Nielsen bobblehead given out and head chef Tino Salazar prepared an array of seafood and a decadent beef Wellington.

“It’s pretty amazing, actually,” said George Blassage, a database analyst at Rockford Casino who served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1983 to 1990. “No other company has ever done this for me at any other place I’ve been at.”

The event was headlined with a keynote speech from retired U.S. Air Force Major General John Borling, a highly decorated officer whose military career spanned 37 years.

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Borling blended humor and emotion in a speech that was part educational and part inspirational about his time as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. He spent more than six years as POW in Vietnam after his aircraft was shot down by ground fire.

Borling also gave his respects to his fellow veterans, handing each of the casino employees who served an American flag lapel that thanked them for their service. He told them it was a flag well earned.

“Coming from him that’s special,” said Don Karper, an engineer at Rockford Casino who served in the Army from June 1970 to July 2011 and is now in civil air patrol for the Air Force. “People cannot comprehend what he went through.”

Miguel Pascual, the casino’s head of human resources, served more than four years in the Marines and did two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He said the event Wednesday showed the casino’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

“I think it speaks volumes on the importance that they have for one of our mottos, which is love all, serve all,” he said.

Pascual has been with the casino since it’s opening day on Nov. 10, 2021.

“This is a huge milestone for us, but it’s just the beginning,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the big joint opening up. … This is just the beginning of a long journey.”

The permanent casino, which is being built at East State Street and Interstate 90, will feature more than 1,200 slots, dozens of live table games, a sports book, a Hard Rock Café and other restaurants, a Hard Rock Live entertainment venue, a Rock Shop and authentic music memorabilia. Hard Rock broke ground on the new casino Sept. 28 with an aggressive goal of finishing in late 2023 or early 2024.

“The best is yet to come when we open the doors of the big joint — the 180,000-square-foot casino complex down the street,” Iafrate said. “As Hard Rock’s footprint grows in Rockford, so will our commitment to the community.”

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The casino, so far, has made more than $100,000 in charitable contributions to more than two dozen organizations. That started on its opening day when it presented $25,000 checks to Rockford Promise and the International Women’s Baseball Center.

“As proud as we are of everything we do here at the Opening Act, I’m even more proud of what we do collectively as the Hard Rock in the local community,” Iafrate said. “We’ve spent a tremendous amount of time and money, and burned so many hours and calories on making sure we’re an integral part in this community and play some small part in making the Rockford region a better place to live.”

Mayor Tom McNamara said Hard Rock exceeded the city’s expectations in its first year. He noted its investments in the BMO Center, Coronado Performing Arts Center, Rockford Promise and the Family Peace Center, “all of which make our community a better place for residents,” McNamara said.

“I’m grateful Hard Rock has quickly become a leading corporate citizen in our community,” McNamara said. “I look forward to all we can accomplish together in the future.”

By the numbers | Rockford Casino’s first year

$10.8 million in gaming taxes ($7.7 million to the state of Illinois and $3.1 million for local government)

458,003 admissions into the casino through October

275 employees

$13.6 million in payroll

$21.8 million awarded to jackpot winners

$100,000+ in charitable donations to more than two dozen causes

Source: Illinois Gaming Board, Hard Rock Casino Rockford

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.