The Ho-Chunk Nation Legislature held its regular session on February 17 at the Ho-Chunk Gaming Beloit construction site, giving representatives a chance to see the progress of the project up close.

     Before the meeting, legislatures toured model hotel rooms to get a sense of what guests can expect. They looked at the layout, furniture, and overall design before heading to the main casino floor for a walk-through of the active construction area.

     The scale of the project is becoming more visible as work continues. The casino and parking structure are currently on track to open in September 2026, with the hotel and convention center expected to follow in 2027. Once complete, the development is projected to bring around 1,500 permanent jobs to the area.

     Plans for the casino include about 1,500 slot machines and 44 table games across roughly 170,000 square feet of gaming space, along with a 1,500-space parking garage.

     At the same time, the City of Beloit is preparing for increased traffic around the site with a major road construction project expected to begin in May. The Willowbrook Road Reconstruction Project will cover about 2.9 miles and is aimed at improving access to the casino and surrounding area.

     The project includes expanding Willowbrook Road to four lanes, adding roundabouts at several key intersections, including the casino access road, and realigning Colley Road to better connect with Interstate 90.

     The plan also includes bike lanes, a multiuse path on one side of the road, and sidewalks on the other.

     Construction will happen in phases. Work on Colley Road is expected to start this year, followed by Willowbrook Road from Colley to Milwaukee Road in 2027 and from Colley to Stateline Road in 2028.

     Originally estimated at $17 million in 2022, the project is now expected to cost $22.8 million and take about three years to complete. Most of the funding will come from federal grants, including a $13.45 million award through the RAISE program. The Ho-Chunk Nation is contributing $4.5 million, and the City of Beloit will contribute $2 million.