A Hard Rock Opening Act, the interim Rockford casino, plans early November opening
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The city waited decades for the chance to welcome its own casino. It won't have to wait much longer before games can begin.
Hard Rock Casino Rockford transformed the former Giovanni's Restaurant and Convention Center into the grounds for its interim casino in a matter of about 100 days after receiving approval from the state gaming board, said Geno Iafrate, president and CEO of Hard Rock Rockford.
"I haven't checked, but that might be a record," Iafrate said. "It's a very accelerated timeline. There are always road bumps, but it has gone as smoothly as I have seen a project standup in my 20 years in this business."
There are still a few more steps before the debut of A Hard Rock Opening Act, the name for the temporary casino that will host gaming until the permanent resort is built on the former Clock Tower grounds. The goal is to open the interim facility in early November and the full resort in about two years.
"Now, it's a process: We have to work with our regulators. We have to work through the steps in that process," Iafrate said. "We're diligently working those steps."
Related: Hard Rock hiring hundreds for opening act casino
Hard Rock on Thursday provided reporters with a preview look at the temporary casino as it moves closer to an opening date to be determined.
"Stay tuned," Iafrate said. "We'll be making an announcement as soon as we can."
Hard Rock's opening is the culmination of decades of work from generations of community leaders to bring a casino here. Mayor Tom McNamara said he can remember hearing discussions about the push for a casino as a child.
"I remember sitting down at the kitchen table getting ready for school and seeing newspaper articles that the community is coming together because they wanted a casino," McNamara said.
Now, he said, the city can be proud of its partnership with an international brand with local investors on a casino that will have a far-reaching economic impact. It will also bolster education in the city, he said, with $1.5 million annually of casino revenue being committed to Rockford Promise, a nonprofit that offers full college tuition scholarships to qualified Rockford Public Schools students.
"When you enter into these long-term partnerships there is a lot of trust that needs to be built, and every single step along the way Hard Rock has not only delivered but they've exceeded," McNamara said. "Every Rockfordian when they walk through these doors will know that Hard Rock, again, exceeded those expectations and will be a great long-term partner with the city of Rockford."
The interim casino has approximately 635 slots and electronic table games. There will not be live dealers at the temporary facility, but live games will happen at the permanent location when it opens. Both the temporary and permanent casino will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Aside from the gambling, A Hard Rock Opening Act has two restaurants: Midway Bar and Rock River Bar and Grill, the later which is the more upscale casual dining option.
"The word temporary really is not a good descriptor," said Wendy Kasche, the casino's vice president of finance. "It's just beautiful, it's gorgeous. It's come together so quickly and it's been a very smooth process."
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.
Property value complaints hit lowest level in years in Winnebago County
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The number of people complaining about what assessors say their property is worth has fallen to a low not seen in at least a decade and a half.
There were 750 challenges filed this year asking the Winnebago County Board of Review to reduce the assessed value of a home or commercial property. That's the lowest number in records we have from the Winnebago County Supervisor of Assessments going back to 2005. The next lowest was 906 in 2006. The deadline to file a complaint has passed.
The drop in complaints, which is roughly 200 fewer than last year, can be partially credited to the scorching real estate market, said Supervisor of Assessments Tom Hodges.
People and businesses that challenge their assessments must point to property values of similar properties, but with home sale prices at historic highs homeowners may have trouble finding comparable sales to make their case.
"If all your neighbors are selling for more than what you're assessed at you're not going to be able to successfully challenge your property tax assessment because you don't have the comps to prove it," said Conor Brown, CEO of Rockford Area Realtors.
Assessments are based on the value of the property as of Jan. 1, and data from three years of sales is used to make the determination.
"We've enjoyed three very good years in terms of real estate in our region," Brown said.
Related: 'Just let me buy a house': Hot real estate market creates bidding wars for buyers
Challenges filed this year include 108 property owners asking for a reduction of more than $100,000, according to Hodges' records. There were 91 such challenges last year and 291 in 2019. The largest number of complaints asking for more than a $100,000 reduction was 700 in 2013.
The challenges come after the equalized assessed value of all property in Winnebago County rose to $5.37 billion this year, the highest countywide value since 2010. However, the value of all complaints if granted is nearly $42.1 million. The reduction amount all challengers filed last year was $43.8 million.
Board of Review hearings on the challenges begin in November.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.
Rockford Alderman Jonathan Logemann to run for Congress in 17th District
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Rockford Alderman Jonathan Logemann will run for Congress in Illinois' 17th District.
The 34-year-old Democrat announced his candidacy Wednesday, saying Congress could use more "regular folks" and teachers and less "bickering and finger-pointing."
Logemann, who represents the 2nd Ward on City Council, has spent 11 years as a teacher and is a captain in the Illinois National Guard. He teaches business and economics at Auburn High School.
"Anybody who knows me — whether it's at Auburn High School, or in the Illinois Guard or at City Hall — they know I'm a no-nonsense, results-orientated person," Logemann said in an interview with the Rock River Current. "That's the type of ethics that I think is important and working in City Council right now. I want to do what I can in a role at the federal level for that kind of mission-orientated, results-first type of leadership and type of mindset."
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos said in April that she would not seek a sixth term in Congress. Republican Esther Joy King, who lost a race to Bustos in 2020, has said she will run again.
Logemann is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for the seat. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara had considered a run for the seat, but said in July that he would instead remain focused on his work as mayor.
My name is Jonathan Logemann, and I’m a Democrat running for Congress in #IL17. As a teacher, alderman, veteran, and father, I know the challenges families in Illinois face every day. I’m running to do more for our communities, and I hope you’ll join me. Let’s get to work! pic.twitter.com/0ZurjupN7M
— Jonathan K. Logemann (@MrLogemann) October 13, 2021
Logemann was elected to the City Council in 2017 and won reelection in April. He spent one year on leave from his City Council seat when he was called to active duty in Afghanistan.
"My country and my community are very important to me," Logemann said. "Figuring out ways we can take care of our soldiers once they return home, given my service, is also a very important issue to me."
He also said energy policy and transportation will be key issues to tackle at the Congressional level.
"Rockford being a transportation hub I think there are a lot of excellent opportunities before us," he said.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.
2 restaurants, auto service business coming to East State Street in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Two new restaurants and a quick-service oil change business are coming to the corner of East State Street and Mill Road on the city's east end.
Core Rockford 1, a division of the Deerfield-based Core Acquisitions, is developing the former Rockford Area Realtors property for three tenants.
The company, which purchased the former Realtors building for $1.47 million in March, subdivided the property into two lots. The first will be home to a three-bay Valvoline Instant Oil Change. The second building will be 6,000 square feet and house two national chain quick-service restaurants, said Adam Firsel, managing principal of Core Acquisitions.
More development news: Redevelopment of former Tussing's Tile aims to capture 'untapped potential'
“We’re excited to bring more retailers to that corridor in Rockford," he said.
Construction is expected to be complete in May, with the businesses opening a few months after.
Rockford Area Realtors is now located at 1161 Tebala Blvd.
More real estate news: 'Superheated demand': Rockford home sale prices hit record high
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.
You Gotta Try This: Jalapeño popper grilled cheese at Ernie's Midtown Pub in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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You Gotta Try This is the Rock River Current’s weekly dining feature focused on signature dishes at your favorite local restaurants. You’ll find it each Wednesday at rockrivercurrent.com. Want to see one of your favorites here? Email us at news@rockrivercurrent.com to suggest a local staple.
Where: Ernie's Midtown Pub
Address: 1025 Fifth Ave., Rockford
Opened: Sept. 1, 2021
Owner: Andrew Vowles
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday (kitchen open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.); 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday (kitchen hours 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.); closed on Sunday and Monday.
You have to try: Jalapeño popper grilled cheese
What’s in it: American cheese, cream cheese, roasted jalapeño, bacon, chipotle mayo
Related: Rockford nostalgia is abundant in this new Midtown pub
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Why you should try it: The jalapeño popper grilled cheese has been the most popular sandwich among customers since the restaurant opened Sept. 1, Ernie's Midtown Pub owner Andrew Vowles said. The jalapeño poppers are rolled fresh every day at the restaurant.
"People crave it," Vowles said. "I think it's been the most popular item because it's unique compared to any other grilled cheese in town ... We make all the ingredients fresh in house and I think that really separates us a little bit because of the freshness of the sandwich."
Pro tip: There is an option to get the jalapeño poppers fried before you get them on the sandwich. "We also dip it in our house breading and fry them in house as well, so nothing is frozen or prepackaged or anything like that," Vowels said. "We make pretty much everything fresh in-house here. The only thing frozen is our waffle fries, tater tots and mozzarella sticks."
For more information: erniesmidtownpub.com; 815-977-4365; instagram.com/erniesmidtownpub; facebook.com/ErniesMidtownPub
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This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas or on Instagram at @thekevinhaas.
Here are Rockford's trick-or-treat hours
ROCKFORD — The city's official trick-or-treat hours will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31.
The city of Rockford announced the hours on Tuesday and encouraged people to avoid large Halloween parties as a precaution against the coronavirus.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Winnebago County Health Department recommend trick-or-treating outside in small groups and avoiding crowded indoor Halloween parties," the city wrote on Facebook. "Please stay home if you are sick."
Related: Twisted Crypt offers indoor frights in Rockford
Related: Win a personal Halloween shopping experience at Goodwill
The Happy Cannabis Co. opens in Loves Park
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — The region's newest marijuana dispensary intends to offer a long list of products without the long lines cannabis customers have been accustomed to.
The Happy Cannabis Co., 4120 N. Bell School Road, marked its grand opening Tuesday. It's the third dispensary offering recreational cannabis in the Rockford area and the first in Loves Park.
Inside the new shop you'll find a bright, white, open shopping space with dozens of products behind locked glass displays. It offers more than 350 items ranging from flower and prerolled joints to edibles and vapes.
Customers who arrive at the store can scan a QR code on their smartphone and be notified when it's their turn to enter the shop, something the store hopes will quell the need to stand in line. The shop also encourages people to order online and pick up at the site.
"We really want to get away from the idea of the line. I hate it," said Amy Manganelli, chief operating officer of Mapleglen Care Center, the sister shop of The Happy Cannabis Co. "We're just trying to have a controlled environment and not waste people's time."
Related: Rockford barbecue shop adds cannabis infused sauce to the menu
Mapleglen, at 4777 Stenstrom Road on Rockford's south side, was one of the area's first marijuana dispensaries. The other is Sunnyside, 2696 McFarland Road, Rockford.
Mapgleglen opened for medical marijuana users in 2015 and added recreational use in 2020. The Happy Cannabis Co. is the second dispensary it's licensed to operate in the area.
The store is independently operated, so it doesn't buy from any one cultivator. That helps provide it with a better variety of products, Manganelli said.
"You wouldn't want to go into a Binny's and see wines from two wine growers or 10 wine growers. You want the full experience," she sad. "That is what we are offering. The other thing we're offering is a really lovely shopping experience."
Shopping for recreational marijuana can be intimidating at some places, and Manganelli said customers should feel comfortable visiting The Happy Cannabis Co. with their questions and to see the full range of products.
"I don't know how somebody who's new can go on to a dispensary menu and make an intelligent purchase," Manganelli said. "It's OK if they leave here with no product but a little education."
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About | The Happy Cannabis Co.
Where: 4120 N. Bell School Road, Loves Park
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
On the web: thehappycannaco.com; facebook.com/HappyCannaCo
Phone: 779-303-0420
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.
Deadline is Thursday to nominate a teacher for the Golden Apple Award
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — You have until Thursday to nominate someone for the prestigious Golden Apple award for excellence in teaching.
Go HERE to nominate a sixth through 12th grade teacher in Boone or Winnebago counties. Teachers must also have five years experience, be in good standing with their district, and work full time in a public school or Illinois State Board of Education recognized non-public school to be nominated.
A selection committee will evaluate nominees' portfolios and name 20 semifinalists by Dec. 16, and the five winners will be surprised in their classrooms on March 10.
Visit the Golden Apple Foundation website here to learn more about the award or submit a nomination.
Gas prices rise in Rockford, across country as oil hits seven-year high
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Gas prices have surged here and across the country after the price of crude oil reached a seven-year high.
U.S. crude oil rose to $82.18 a barrel early Monday, and stood at about $80.50 as of 1:30 p.m. If that holds, it will be the first time since October 2014 U.S. oil closed above $80 a barrel, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Prices have risen as demand has rebounded amid economic recovery from the pandemic, and there are supply shortages after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known by the acronym OPEC+, opted not to further boost supply.
“The nation’s gas prices were also pushed to their highest since 2014, all on OPEC’s decision not to raise production more than it already agreed to in July,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, in a news release. “The OPEC decision caused an immediate reaction in oil prices, and amidst what is turning into a global energy crunch, motorists are now spending over $400 million more on gasoline every single day than they were just a year ago."
In Rockford, the average price at the pump was $3.44 per gallon early Monday, according to GasBuddy. That's nearly 10 cents higher than this time a week ago.
Read more: Loves Park lawmaker's bill would incentivize electric vehicle production in Illinois
The national average gas price rose more than 5 cents to $3.25 per gallon, according to GasBuddy, which compiles data from more than 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average is up more than 7 cents from a month ago and $1.08 per gallon higher than a year ago.
OPEC+ agreed in July to raise oil production by 400,000 barrels per day each month until 2022, when production is expected to return to pre-COVID levels. However, it said last week that it will not increase that further to meet rising demand.
"The problems continue to relate to a surge in demand as the global economy recovers, combined with deep cuts to production from early in the pandemic," De Haan said in the release. "If Americans can’t slow their appetite for fuels, we’ve got no place for prices to go but up.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.
Loves Park lawmaker's bill would create tax credit for electric vehicle production in Illinois
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — Manufacturers who make electric vehicles in Illinois would earn tax credits under a bill filed by state Rep. Dave Vella, the latest step in a regional effort to strengthen the future of one of the area's largest employers.
House Bill 4155, which Vella filed Sept. 27, would provide a credit for capital expenses to retool facilities to make electric vehicles or EV batteries. It would also create a credit for training and qualified utility payments.
"My goal is to bring manufacturing back to the area because those are the jobs that will bring the economy back," Vella said. "My job is to make more jobs, that's it."
Vella's proposal would change the state's income tax code to create a credit equal to 75% of withholding payments to new employees hired for electric vehicle initiatives.
"My idea was to find a way to tie this incentive to hiring people," Vella said.
"I want good jobs, and the more money they pay their people, the more money they're going to get in incentives," he said. "And the more people they hire, the more incentive they get. Hopefully it's a new way of spurring investment in the company."
The bill was sparked by discussions around the region about how to sustain the future of the Belvidere Assembly Plant. The plant, despite recent setbacks that led it to reduce from three shifts to one and a global microchip shortage that forced its closure through the end of the month, remains one of the region's largest employers. It employs more than 2,500 people and supports jobs at supplier companies across northern Illinois. The plant's workforce comes from a 70-mile radius.
Local government leaders say state incentives to support electric vehicle production could help Stellantis, which owns the Belvidere Assembly Plant where Jeep Cherokees are built, retain and expand its operations and the work of suppliers. The Northern Illinois Council of Governments, a nonprofit organization that includes leaders from several local government agencies, approved a resolution last month urging the state to incentivize electric vehicle production. The Belvidere City Council followed that last week with a resolution of its own.
"These conversations simply cannot wait. The people of the Rockford region, and all of Illinois, are relying on Illinois aggressively pursuing the future automotive space," said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, the chairman of the Northern Illinois Council of Governments, and Mike Dunn Jr., the executive director, in a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker. "We believe it starts with retaining Stellantis, inducing their investment into our community and employing our skilled workforce."
Stellantis has not indicated any desire to build electric vehicles in Belvidere, but the company said in July it plans to invest roughly $35 billion in electrification through 2025. It wants more than 40% of its sales in the country to be be low-emission vehicles by 2030, and it plans to offer fully electric vehicles for all 14 of its brands.
Illinois now has two electric vehicle plants: Rivian in Normal and Lion in Joliet.
"The electric vehicle market is moving fast," Vella said. "There's a lot we can do here to try to turn Illinois into the EV manufacturer of the Midwest."
Vella said turning the state's attention to electric vehicle manufacturing is a natural next step after passing a massive clean energy bill last month. That bill puts Illinois on a path to carbon-free energy by 2050, and it saved the Byron nuclear plant from closure by providing Exelon with millions in incentives. Exelon has since said more than $140 million in capital improvements will be made at the Byron Generating Station.
Related: From sleepless nights to heartfelt thanks, Byron nuclear plant employees describe life with their jobs on the line
"There's a lot of concern in Belvidere, especially, that this plant is going to shut down," Vella said. "I saw what happened in Byron, and in Byron they didn't give up and we won. We kept the plant open. We have to do the same thing in Belvidere."
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This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.