Hard Rock Casino Rockford is part ultra modern casino, part entertainment mecca and a love letter to the city's favorite son and Cheap Trick legend Rick Nielsen.
Not only does a 63-foot tall version of Nielsen's famed checkerboard Hamer guitar adorn the marquee of the new nearly 180,000-square-foot casino resort, but his and Cheap Trick's mark is virtually everywhere. Dozens of the more than 150 pieces of memorabilia on display commemorate Nielsen and Cheap Trick.
A neon version of the checkerboard guitar adorns the ceiling over part of the gaming floor. At 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. the chandelier plays a show featuring Cheap Trick music.
During a media tour on Thursday morning, hours before the doors opened, Nielsen appeared and was the first to throw the dice on a craps table — one of 50 total table games offered at the Hard Rock. He rolled a four.
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A Hard Rock Cafe is located adjacent to the sportsbook, which the casino got approved by the Illinois Gaming Board just in time for its grand opening.
"I want you to want me," is inscribed above the auxiliary stage inside the Cafe.
Poker room rocks
Rockford's first poker room looks like a fun place to play. There are six tables for now, but Hard Rock Casino Rockford Marketing Director Steven Platcow said the hope is to expand it.
The walls of the poker room are adorned with posters of playing cards — each one featuring another music star. Prince is the King of diamonds and John Lennon is the Ace of diamonds.
Rock Shop offers limited edition stuff
Dozens of items are available in the Rock Shop from a quick snack to Hard Rock hoodies and shirts to limited edition grand opening items. Just 200 limited edition grand opening shirts selling for $76 were produced featuring Nielsen's checker board guitar. Another limited edition item, a commemorative pin, sells for $32.
Live Venue sounds great
Acoustics in the 1,600-seat Hard Rock Live venue sounded great during a rehearsal on Thursday morning. The auditorium can be reconfigured to accommodate 2,000 people. There's a lobby area you enter before going into the concert hall dedicated to Nielsen memorabilia. Look in the hallway outside Live for plenty of Blues Brothers stuff.
Something new, something old
The casino boasts about 1,300 slot machines. It has the most modern video gaming machines available from various kinds of Buffalo games to Journey to the Plant Moolah and The Little Shop of Horrors. But Hard Rock has also scoured the country for a bunch of old-school, classic slot machines that can be found in banks across the casino in addition to plenty of video poker.
Your own steak knife
High rollers who earn the X level of Unity loyalty membership card can get their very own steak knife at Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. It is laser engraved with the member's name and kept in a glass case at the steak house where dozens of dry-aged steaks can be seen through the butcher shop window.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey .
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: A sneak peek inside the new Hard Rock Casino Rockford
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