Hard Rock International opened its $515 million resort casino in Bristol, Virginia on November 14, marking the state's second permanent casino. The opening featured the brand's signature guitar-smashing ceremony to welcome its first guests.

The 620,000-square-foot facility sits near the Virginia-Tennessee border and emerged from Virginia's 2020 legislation allowing casino development in five cities. Local businessmen Jim McGlothlin and Clyde Stacy partnered with Hard Rock after Bristol voters approved the casino with 71% support.

The resort features:

• 1,500 slot machines
• 50 live dealer table games
• Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook
• 303-room hotel
• 2,000-seat Hard Rock Live venue
• Multiple dining options including Hard Rock Café and Council Oak
• Music memorabilia from artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash

Country music star Blake Shelton headlined the opening night with a sold-out concert, fitting for Bristol's reputation as the birthplace of country music.

The project has already created over 1,000 jobs and generated significant local tax revenue through its temporary casino operation. McGlothlin, recently named a "Bristol Living Legend," suggests local support has grown even stronger since the initial referendum.

This opening marks another milestone in Virginia's expanding gaming market, joining Rivers Casino Portsmouth which opened in January 2023. Additional casino projects are underway in Danville, Norfolk, and Petersburg, while Churchill Downs recently opened The Rose gaming resort in Dumfries.

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