Rockford And Beloit Race For Casino Approval

The City of Rockford is racing against Beloit Wisconsin for legislative approval of Illinois gaming expansion so Rockford can get a casino generating $5 million in annual tax revenue before the federal government approves Ho Chunk Nation’s request to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to put a native American casino in Beloit, just a 15 minute drive to the north. Rockford needs the additional revenue, since, according to Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, “in the not too distant future, 100 percent of our annual property tax revenue will be going to our state mandated pension contributions.”