ROCKFORD, IL — The opening of a 215- to 225-room hotel at the Hard Rock Casino Rockford would bring dramatic changes to the city’s tourism landscape.
It would mean additional higher end hotel rooms, something that visitors have been asking for. And it is expected to mean millions in hotel, sales, property and gaming taxes for the city, GoRockford CEO John Groh said.
It would mean additional higher end hotel rooms, something that visitors have been asking for. And it is expected to mean millions in hotel, sales, property and gaming taxes for the city, GoRockford CEO John Groh said.
“It captures overnight gaming spend that today either leaves the region entirely or spreads across a dozen surrounding properties,” Groh said.
“It lengthens the average visit from a few hours to a multi-day trip, which is where the increase in gaming revenue and food, beverage, entertainment and retail margins live. And, most relevantly, it lets Hard Rock compete head-to-head with the integrated resort experience that Ho-Chunk is building 18 miles north in Beloit, where guests will be able to park once and do everything on-site.”
Visitors to Rockford and Winnebago County spend more than $520 million a year, according to the Illinois Tourism Economic Impact Report. Over 30 years with a hotel, Hard Rock is projected to produce $424 million in revenue for Rockford, about $140 million more than it would without a hotel, or roughly $4.7 million more a year.
Average occupancy rates at area hotels and motels are at about 57% and have an average daily rate of $100.38. Upper tier hotels have an average occupancy rate of 66% in the Rockford region and average daily rate of $132.22, according to information from GoRockford via Smith Travel Research.
A Hard Rock Hotel is expected to satisfy some of the demand for higher quality rooms and could lead to increases in average daily room rates across the area. That could mean more revenue and taxes flowing into the community from visitors, Groh said.
Hard Rock hopes to break ground later this year. The hotel and conference center is expected to take 15 months to build.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Hard Rock Casino Rockford hotel to capture overnight gaming spend
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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