A $705MILLION casino development is on track to meet its opening deadline this week.
Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit in Wisconsin is set to join the growing list of casino developments opening nationwide.
Construction on the 240,000-square-foot project began two years ago and the casino is expected to open on Saturday.
Visitors can expect 1,500 gaming machines and live entertainment.
The new hotel with a rooftop lounge will not open until next year.
Leaders, including city mayor Tom Fitzgerald, said he expects the development to create more than 1,000 jobs in the area.
Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit faces strong competition from a separate development: the Hard Rock Casino Rockford.
That casino plans to open an adjoining hotel next year.
Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer has already started the “trash talk” in a recent statement.
Greendeer said: “We are the best gaming industry in the Midwest, without a doubt.
“As far as competition goes, we’ve already won in terms of making sure that we’re a benefit to both the state of Illinois and the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and the city of Beloit.
“We’ve already established that. We are not taking our money and sending it somewhere else. We’re trying to keep that together so that we can all win together.”
Meanwhile, Geno Iafrate, president of Hard Rock Casino Rockford, has issued a similar challenge.
Iafrate commented: “We have to defend Hard Rock Casino Rockford, and we have to defend this region, and we have to do so by expanding.”
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling online.