Before the first bet was placed Thursday at Hard Rock Casino Rockford, there needed to be belief.
Belief even before Hard Rock was selected by the city to apply for a casino license with the Illinois Gaming Board. Belief that needed to be earned in a city that had been for decades yearning for a status upgrade that can potentially come with having a casino.
The story of Hard Rock being in Rockford starts with Aleksandra Micevic and her self-belief.
“There was only one position. It was a temporary office that was open in downtown Rockford,” Micevic recounted in an interview with Action Network in the final hours before Hard Rock swung open its doors.
