A Ricky Rockets Fuel Center has emerged as the next commercial development in the large Rock Run Collection in Joliet after a new casino opened earlier this month.

Ricky Rockets is one of three businesses with building permits in hand or pending at the 310-acre development, including a Chipotle restaurant that is near completion and a Chick-fil-A awaiting construction.

The grand opening for Ricky Rockets is not likely to be as grandiose as the Hollywood Casino Joliet celebration.

At that grand opening, Mayor Terry D’Arcy described the new casino as “a shining example” of a new energy pushing Joliet forward.

Diane Cullinan Oberhelman, chairman of Cullinan Properties – the developer of Rock Run Collection – described the opening of the casino as “a historic moment for the city of Joliet and Will County.”

Beyond the casino

The casino will draw people throughout Illinois and from other states, Cullinan Oberhelman said.

That’s been the idea behind the Rock Run Collection project since at least 2019, when Cullinan Properties held a groundbreaking for a Regal Cinemas movie theater that never developed.

The development is at the crossing of Interstates 55 and 80, a crossroads location passed by an estimated 230,000 vehicles a day.

What has developed in addition to the casino are two warehouses that were the first projects to be built at the Rock Run Collection, an apartment complex with 570 units now under construction, and Ricky Rockets along with the two fast-food restaurants that await completion.

The City Council on Tuesday will vote on a liquor license that also will allow gambling for the Ricky Rockets Fuel Center.

Ricky Rockets has 10 fuel centers in the Chicago region but none in Will County.

The warehouses already built include a 677,000-square-foot facility that Ecolab has used to expand its operations in Joliet.

The other warehouse building is 221,000 square feet and unoccupied at present.

The two warehouses are the only warehouses allowed in the Rock Run Collection under the development plan approved by the city.

Shopping and dining

What’s planned are hotels, retailers, restaurants and office buildings.

“Rock Run Collection will combine outdoor dining, living, convenience, entertainment and leisure all in one location,” according to the company’s website for the project. “Plentiful parking and high visibility will benefit the specialty stores and big-box anchor offerings. Exciting entertainment and hotel components give way to a vibrant destination to be enjoyed by many.”

The plan incudes:

• 500,000 square feet for shopping and dining

• 200,000 square feet for more entertainment venues

• 150,000 square feet for office space

• 500 hotel rooms

Hollywood Casino owner Penn Entertainment did not build a hotel to go with its casino, even though the casino complex includes an event center that is expected to be used for business conferences, weddings and other activities that would lead to overnight stays.

The hotels are to be brought in by Cullinan Properties.

Rafael Verde, senior vice president for regional operations at Penn Entertainment, discussed the prospect of hotel development in an interview during a media preview event for the new Hollywood Casino Joliet.

Verde said that there has been talk of two or three hotels being built, but he could not confirm that any deals have been sealed.

He said that the opening of the casino should spur more development at the Rock Run Collection.

“I do believe that when people see the traffic we’ll bring, then others will have faith in it,” Verde said.

Cullinan did not respond to a request for comments on the status of further development.

Company representatives have said a number of deals have been made or are close to completion, but they would not give details until the clients are ready to announce that they are coming.