In the back half of the 1900s, American cities went under a period of suburbanization. Sports venues, shopping malls, and office parks were created on the outer edges of cities where large plots of land were readily available.
These plots were close to highways and residential populations. The movement of business away from the downtown led to the decline in the central business districts of many North American cities. This happened in Rockford and thousands of cities across America.
In response to this occurrence, the New Urbanism movement arose. “New Urbanism was the reaction to urban sprawl, a system of development with a rigorous separation of uses, known as suburban development, New Urbanism, on the other hand, was based on planning and architectural principles working together to create human-scale, walkable and bicycle-friendly communities. It is rooted in the work of architects, planners, and theorists who believed that conventional planning thought that led to the rise of American suburbs was failing.”
“Their goal was to reform many aspects of real estate development and urban planning, from urban retrofits to suburban infill. New Urbanist neighborhoods are designed to contain a diverse range of housing and jobs, and to be walkable.” The New Urbanism movement is present here in Rockford, new restaurants, stores, and venues choosing to locate in the downtown area. “The modern urban casino can be compatible with many of the principles of New Urbanism and the newest generation of urban casinos supports this theory.”
With this Urbanism movement and the rich data and statistical reality, the Rock River West Casino Group is moving forward to create the Waterpower Entertainment District based on the urban casino model, versus the island casino model, which has proven not to be as prosperous for the surrounding area, in any substantial reality throughout North America.
(Source: Klebanow, Andrew M., Casinos and the City: A White Paper on the History of Casino Development in Cities, Past and Current Trends, and Recommendations for Future Development, Global Market Advisors LLC)
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