By A.J. Kaufman
After years of anticipation, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol opened their $560 million permanent property Nov. 14, alongside company executives, state and local officials, community members, business and civic leaders, and the general public.
Using a convenient location off interstate 81 where the Bristol Mall once stood, the first of its kind casino in Virginia has been successful since its temporary building opened in July 2022. That casino welcomed over 3 million visitors from all 50 states and donated more than $1 million to support local non-profits.
“It has been a long, but very rewarding, process since Mr. McGlothlin first announced his ‘moonshot’ vision to bring an economic development project of this size and scale to benefit Bristol and the entire region,” Andy Poarch, COO with the Alliance Group — a firm that assisted with public relations for the project since 2018 — exclusively told the Business Journal. “If our experience – in terms of guest enthusiasm and satisfaction – over the last two years is any indication, then the long-term prospects and success of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol look very bright.”
With 1,400 employees, the Hotel & Casino is 620,000 square feet with nearly 1,500 slot machines, over 50 table games, a sports book, a 303-room hotel, 2,000-seat music venue, and multiple dining options.
“This is such a monumental moment for the Bristol community and Hard Rock,” Jon Lucas, COO of Hard Rock International, said in a press release. “Hard Rock’s music heritage is a natural fit for Bristol, the ‘Birthplace of Country Music.’ We look forward to serving Bristol and the surrounding region with world-class gaming, dining and entertainment offerings.”
The casino spent several years amassing a collection of more than 200 pieces of music memorabilia, some of it tied directly to Bristol and its claim to music fame, including the 1927 Bristol Sessions, the downtown event, which led to the city’s designation as the Birthplace of Country Music.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol President Allie Evangelista called it an “amazing day for Bristol” and added that, “The support from the Bristol community has been inspirational to our dedicated team, which has worked around the clock to prepare for today’s grand opening. We look forward to offering guests Hard Rock’s world-renowned amenities combined with Bristol’s legendary hospitality and service.”
In 2020, Bristol, Va., voters overwhelmingly passed a casino referendum by a 71 to 29% margin. Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth also did so at similar clips. Prior to its opening, the closest casino to Bristol was 130 miles away in Cherokee, N.C.
Until the early 1990s, commercial casinos were legal only in Nevada and New Jersey; however, they can now be found in more than 40 states nationwide. Casino proponents say they increase economic development and tax revenue across regions — like the Tri-Cities. Hard Rock already has paid more than $68 million in gaming taxes to the state and paid over $262 million in jackpots.
United Company Chairman Jim McGlothlin is a legendary Bristol businessman who was instrumental in bringing Hard Rock to the region. He believes his initial gamble will pay off.
“This can’t be moved to Mexico or Vietnam. This is going to be here,” McGlothlin said. “And the jobs are plentiful, and they pay well. And then I think the taxes go to our community: the city of Bristol, as well as 14 other counties.”
