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.

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