Construction on a $405 million casino resort in Beloit, Wisconsin is set to begin later this month. The Ho-Chunk Nation, one of six federally recognized tribes in the state, has announced it will break ground on Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit on October 25. Beloit City Manager Jerry Gabrielatos expressed his excitement, stating that the development will be transformative for the city, anticipating it will attract further investment.
The ambitious project will feature an 18-story hotel with 312 rooms and a casino floor outfitted with 1,500 slot machines and 44 live dealer table games. Additional amenities will include four restaurants, three bars, a spa, and 76,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort is projected to open in early 2026.
The Ho-Chunk Nation’s plans for a Beloit casino have been years in the making, rooted in the tribe’s historical connection to Rock County. It wasn’t until 2020, however, that the U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs agreed to take the tribe’s 73 acres of land—located along Interstate 90 at Colley and Willowbrook roads—into the federal trust. This move allowed the tribe to seek state approval to expand its Class III gaming compact to Beloit. The Beloit casino will be the tribe’s seventh in Wisconsin, adding to operations in Black River Falls, Madison, Nekoosa, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, and Wittenberg.
Governor Tony Evers has consented to expand the state’s revenue-sharing agreement with the tribe, stipulating that Ho-Chunk casinos must contribute 5% of their annual gross gaming revenue to the state, increasing to 5.5% if total earnings exceed $350 million in a given year. Additionally, the Class III compact requires the tribe to share 2% of casino revenues with local governments, with the City of Beloit receiving 70% and Rock County 30% from the Beloit casino’s contributions.
The new casino will face competition from Hard Rock International’s recently opened casino in Rockford, Illinois, just 20 miles south of Beloit. The $300 million Hard Rock Rockford facility, inaugurated on August 29, saw over 157,000 visitors in its first full month of operations. The casino features 1,300 slot machines and 50 tables, along with six restaurants, a retail shop, and a 23,000-square-foot event venue. In September, the casino reported winnings of $13.7 million, ranking second in Illinois behind Rivers Casino Des Plaines, which grossed $41.5 million.
Despite the competition, Hard Rock Rockford President Geno Iafrate reflected positively on the debut, stating, “We had no expectations of jumping over Rivers—that’s a pretty tall order—but we fully expected to move into second place.” Bally’s temporary casino in downtown Chicago followed with $10.3 million.