Rockford, Ill – Hard Rock Casino Rockford, a Hard Rock-branded gaming, entertainment, and dining destination in Rockford, IL, announced today they donated over $1 million across 96 organizations and community events in and around Rockford and the Northern Illinois region over the past year.

“When Hard Rock first arrived in Rockford, we made a commitment to be a partner that continued to elevate and support Rockford,” said Geno Iafrate, Hard Rock Casino Rockford President. “As we look forward to the grand opening of our permanent location later this year, we take pride in supporting the organizations and events that give back to this wonderful community. There are some truly incredible efforts being done to benefit so many different causes, and we want to ensure we are able to continue to give back and support their missions in the same way the community supports us.”

Since their arrival, the Hard Rock team has prioritized giving back to the Rockford community. In 2023 alone, Hard Rock made contributions to Rockford organizations including the International Women’s Baseball Center, GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford, American Cancer Society, Alignment Rockford and more.  Their contributions supported community events and initiatives, sponsorships, and outright donations.

Keeping up with their commitment to support the community, Hard Rock continues donations in 2024, including a contribution for Black History Month in February to the YMCA of Rock River Valley’s Black Achievers initiative. The sponsorship will go toward supporting youth programming and life changing impact to families across the community.

"We’re grateful to Hard Rock and their commitment to enhancing opportunities and programs for local Black youth," expressed Kamrin Muhammad, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness, YMCA of Rock River Valley. "This type of generosity helps pave the way toward empowering Rockford's youth and ensuring their journey to success is impactful."

Slated to open summer 2024, the Hard Rock Casino Rockford will include more than 180,000 square feet featuring 1,000+ slots, dozens of table games, a sports book, multiple dining options including a signature Hard Rock Cafe and fine dining restaurant Council Oak Steaks and Seafood, a Rock Shop, a Hard Rock Live entertainment venue, authentic music memorabilia, and more.

The project created approximately 1,200 construction-specific jobs, with leaders currently recruiting more than 400 full and part-time positions for the permanent casino. 

“When Hard Rock first entered the Rockford community, we knew how valuable this partnership would be for the city,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “Hard Rock has stayed true to its commitment to become an active member of our community, contributing to Rockford-based events, organizations, infrastructure, and education. We are thrilled to have Hard Rock as a staple in our community and are excited to see how our partnership continues to grow.

Learn more about Hard Rock Casino Rockford at casino.hardrock.com/rockford.

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About Hard Rock®:
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 265 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe.