ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A public hearing for the potential Rockford casino has been set.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 23rd at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, at 314 N Main Street.

The hearing is required by the Illinois Gaming Act and will allow the public a chance to weigh in on the project.

All three casino group applicants, including the Hard Rock Casino, the Rock River West, and the Forest City Casino, will give formal presentations and will have consultants on hand to answer questions.

Rockford’s City Council is expected to receive a recommendation from the two consulting firms it’s hired to help evaluate and approve casino proposals, including Union Gaming Analytics, LLC and Taft Stetinius & Hollister LLP.

That recommendation will be sent to the Illinois Gaming Board by the end of October for approval. If a license is approved, Mayor Tom McNamara believes a casino could be set up at a temporary site by the end of 2019, with the full casino to be built within 2 years.

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