Construction crews work on the future Hard Rock Casino Rockford on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at the corner of Interstate 90 and East State Street. Steel beams were erected this week, bringing the project vertical for the first time. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The first steel beams went up on the future Hard Rock Casino Rockford this week, moving the construction project vertical for the first time.

Construction on the 180,000-square-foot casino and entertainment venue started about six months ago near the intersection of Interstate 90 and East State Street. It took months to complete all the necessary earth work to prepare the site so the foundation could be laid.

“We’ve worked nonstop since the groundbreaking,” Hard Rock Rockford President Geno Iafrate said. “We’ve had crews working six days a week, long hours every day in preparation to go vertical, and that step is now here.”

Related: Hard Rock Casino Rockford adds blackjack and other live table games

The project, which broke ground Sept. 28, was initially hindered by increasing costs of construction and supply chain issues that made it more difficult to procure goods and materials. Weather, however, mostly cooperated enough for work to continue through much of the winter.

“We had a favorable winter,” Iafrate said. “We had a few days here and there with too much rain or too much snow, but all in all the winter has been very kind to us.”

Building the casino is estimated to create 1,200 construction jobs. Once it opens, about 1,000 full- and part-time workers will be employed at the site.

For now, Hard Rock operates an interim casino at 610 N. Bell School Road and employs roughly 300.

Construction crews work on the future Hard Rock Casino on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at Interstate 90 and East State Street in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

The future casino plans call for 1,000 slot machines, dozens of table games, a sports book, multiple dining options including Hard Rock’s signature Hard Rock Cafe and the upscale restaurant Council Oak Steaks and Seafood. There will also be a Rock Shop for merchandise, a live entertainment venue with up to 1,800 seats and music memorabilia throughout the venue. A hotel will be built on the property in a later phase.

Related: What will happen with Hard Rock’s temporary casino when the ‘big joint’ opens? Here’s the leading idea

Outside the casino will be a 90-foot replica of one of Rock and Roll hall of famer Rick Nielsen’s checkerboard guitars. That guitar will tower above the interstate as a landmark much like the former Clock Tower.

Hard Rock has said it’s pursuing an aggressive timeline to open the casino as soon as possible, but it’s still unclear when that opening date will happen.

“It’s still too early to give a definitive date or even a lose date,” Iafrate said. “Let’s see how much we get done over the course of this spring and this summer and maybe we’ll be able to get to a date not too far from now.”

An opening date is unclear for the future Hard Rock Casino Rockford, which is under construction April 6, 2023, in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

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