BELOIT — Officials in Beloit today broke ground on the new $405 million casino just a few miles from the Illinois border.
After years of planning, the project passed final approval earlier this month when the Beloit City Council approved a zoning change to the building site.
The 32-acre site is on the southeast corner of Willowbrook and Colley roads on the city’s southeast side.
The opening date is expected to be in 2026.
The Ho-Chunk Nation plans to build a 240,478 square-foot casino with Class III gaming, an 18-story hotel with 312 rooms and a spa, four restaurants, and a 76,413 square-foot convention center. The casino will feature 1,500-1,800 slot machines, 44 table games, and a sportsbook.
The project has both state and federal approvals. The U.S. Department of Interior granted approval in April 2020, and Gov. Tony Evers signed a Tribal-State Gaming Compact in March 2021.
The casino site was transferred into federal trust for the Ho-Chunk Nation in May 2022, give the land sovereignty over state and local regulations.