The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol launched on Thursday, November 14, with the company performing a ceremonial guitar smash to formally greet the resort’s initial visitors. 

Situated on the border between Virginia and Tennessee, Bristol, located on the Virginia side, was selected for a commercial casino license as a result of state legislation enacted in 2020. The drive 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 approval of five cities by state legislators to explore casino projects aimed at boosting economic growth, McGlothlin and Stacy teamed up with Hard Rock International. In November 2020, local voters in Bristol approved the gaming development with more than 71% support, the highest among the four cities that conducted successful casino referendums that election. 

After four years, Hard Rock's vision worth over half a billion dollars has come to fruition.

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

Having completed the $515 million resort, employing over 1,000 individuals, receiving tens of millions in local tax revenue from the temporary casino's operations, and featuring a 45-foot guitar outside the 620K-square-foot venue, McGlothlin is confident there’s no buyer’s regret. 

“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 in the Spotlight 

Like all Hard Rock casino and resort locations, the central theme revolves around music, music, music. The rock 'n' roll-themed resort aims to feature live music on most evenings and prominent headline performances during the week. 

Country music icon Blake Shelton will take the stage as the opening headliner tonight with a fully booked concert at the resort’s 2,000-capacity Hard Rock Live venue. 

Shelton is a fitting choice for the opening night of Hard Rock Bristol, given that the town is regarded as the home of country music. The honor originates from Fiddlin’ John Carson's recording of "Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" in a 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 offers a variety of dining options, including a Hard Rock Café, the signature steak and seafood restaurant Council Oak, and a food court “marketplace” that serves items ranging from fried chicken and soul food to a noodle bar. 

Music collectibles feature items associated with Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash. 

 

Virginia Emerging as a Significant Gaming Market 

Previously one of the most limited gaming states, Virginia's commercial gaming sector keeps growing. Hard Rock Bristol is the second permanent casino to launch following Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a non-hotel establishment, which opened in January 2023. 

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

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