Hard Rock Casino Rockford on Wednesday unveiled plans for an invitation-only formal ceremony to break ground on its permanent casino resort at 7801 E. State St. near the Interstate 90 exit.

An official ground breaking ceremony will be held next Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Organizers were forced to do an invitation-only ground breaking because of the nature of the 25-acre site – an open field where site grading is expected to begin soon, according to a news release. The announcement comes about 10 months after Hard Rock opened the temporary Rockford Casino, A Hard Rock Opening Act.