Hard Rock Bristol Marks a Landmark Moment with the Opening of a Premier $515 Million Commercial Casino

The highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol officially opened its doors on November 14, 2024, with a festive ceremony that included the traditional smashing of guitars to welcome its first guests. As a premier destination for entertainment, this impressive $515 million establishment marks Virginia’s second permanent commercial casino, significantly enhancing the state’s growing gaming landscape and providing a sophisticated new hub for high-stakes excitement.

Located on the Virginia-Tennessee border, the Bristol casino was made possible by legislation passed in 2020, allowing local commercial casino licenses. This ambitious initiative was spearheaded by prominent local business leaders, including Jim McGlothlin of United Company and Clyde Stacy of Par Ventures, who sought to bring the excitement of Las Vegas-style gaming to the region.

Local voters overwhelmingly supported the casino development in a November 2020 referendum, with over 71% approval—the highest in the state for that election period. McGlothlin expressed confidence in the project’s potential, asserting, “I bet if we did the referendum today, we’d get 90% support.” This excitement underscores the community’s commitment to economic growth through gaming.

Entertainment and Gaming Experience

True to the Hard Rock legacy, the Bristol property features a vibrant rock ‘n’ roll theme, hosting live music events and major headlining concerts. Notably, country superstar Blake Shelton kicked off the opening with a sold-out performance in the state-of-the-art Hard Rock Live venue.