Hard Rock Casino Rockford 'worth the wait'

The Hard Rock Casino Rockford finally opened Thursday, but it was a dream years in the making.

Here's what people had to say.

"I think you are going to see in a little bit that it was worth the wait." — Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate.

"I think we kept the promise that we made to you, mayor, and hopefully you agree." — Hard Rock International COO John Lucas

"When I reflect on that moment and I see the transformation that has happened in this place and this space — absolutely remarkable, stunning. ... Congratulations to all of you who were part of this remarkable moment that will change the landscape of this community in such a positive way." — Stephanie Piimauna, chief diversity officer for Hard Rock International.

"There is a big construction team here — if you are here, a big shout out. You have achieved a miraculous feat in this most complex project. You know, where you are standing now was 25 feet below us. The volume of that crushed stone or gravel would fill residential pools over 500,000 times." — Brent Johnson, president of Ringland-Johnson Construction

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: Hard Rock Casino Rockford 'worth the wait'