Hard Rock Bristol Opens $515M Resort in Virginia, State’s Second Permanent Casino

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol launched on Thursday, November 14, with the company performing a ceremonial guitar smashing to officially greet the resort’s inaugural visitors. 

Located along the Virginia-Tennessee border, the Virginia side of Bristol was granted a commercial casino license via state legislation enacted in 2020. The movement to introduce Las Vegas-style casinos to the commonwealth and lift Virginia’s prohibition on slot machines and table games was spearheaded by notable Bristol entrepreneurs Jim McGlothlin of United Co. and Clyde Stacy of Par Ventures. 

Following the permission granted by state legislators for five cities to explore casino projects to boost economic growth, McGlothlin and Stacy collaborated with Hard Rock International. In November 2020, local voters in Bristol approved the gaming development with more than 71% backing, the greatest support among the four cities that had successful casino referendums in that election. 

Four years later, Hard Rock’s vision of over half a billion dollars has come to fruition.

"It was a moonshot,” McGlothlin said of overturning Virginia’s ban on casino gambling.

With the $515 million resort completed, more than 1,000 individuals hired, tens of millions in local tax revenues already collected from the temporary casino’s operations, and a 45-foot guitar located outside the 620K-square-foot complex, McGlothlin is confident there’s no regret among buyers. 

“I bet if we did the referendum today, we’d get 90% support,” McGlothlin, dubbed a “Bristol Living Legend” this summer by Virginia Business, told the crowd during today’s ceremony.

Blake Shelton Featured 

Like all Hard Rock casino and resort locations, the central theme revolves around music, music, music. The integrated resort with a rock ‘n’ roll theme intends to feature live music on most nights and prominent headliners during the week. 

Country music icon Blake Shelton will kick off the headlining responsibilities tonight with a sold-out show at the resort's 2,000-seat Hard Rock Live venue. 

Shelton is a fitting choice for the inaugural night of Hard Rock Bristol, since the town is regarded as the home of country music. This honor originates from Fiddlin’ John Carson's recording of his version of “Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane” in the Virginia town in 1923. 

The gaming area at Hard Rock Bristol features 1,500 slot machines, 50 live dealer table games, and a Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook. The hotel features 303 rooms and multiple dining options, such as a Hard Rock Café, Council Oak, which is Hard Rock's renowned steak and seafood establishment, along with a food court "marketplace" offering a variety of choices from fried chicken and soul food to a noodle bar. 

Music collectibles feature pieces from Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash. 

Virginia Emerging as a Significant Gaming Market 

Previously one of the most limiting states for gaming, Virginia's commercial gaming sector is still growing. Hard Rock Bristol is the second permanent casino to launch following the opening of Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a non-hotel venue, in January 2023. 

Caesars Entertainment intends to launch a $750 million casino resort in Danville next month. A fourth casino is being developed in Norfolk, and last week, Petersburg voters approved a casino resort by The Cordish Companies, which operates Live!-branded establishments. 

Churchill Downs has also recently launched its gaming resort in Dumfries named The Rose. That location features slot machine-style historical racing games.