Hard Rock International has already started construction on a temporary casino in Bristol, Virginia, as the gambling and entertainment company seeks to spur economic growth in the region.

Hard Rock Casino – Bristol

The temporary casino development bolsters Hard Rock’s presence and commitment to Bristol, marking the brand’s first significant milestone in the city.

Hard Rock International (HRI) is a worldwide known brand with venues in 67 countries and 249 sites, including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues, and Cafes. In 2020, HRI will also start a joint venture called Hard Rock Digital, which will operate an online sportsbook, a brick-and-mortar sportsbook, and an internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock has amassed the world’s most significant and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia, totaling more than 86,000 pieces and displayed throughout its global locations. In 2021, Forbes named Hard Rock the Top Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment Industry. 

In 2020, Forbes Magazine named Hard Rock one of the Best Employers for Diversity and a Top Employer for Women. Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos was ranked first in the Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group’s 2020 Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey. Hard Rock destinations are concentrated in international gateway cities, including two of the company’s most successful flagship properties in Florida and the world’s first Guitar Hotel in South Florida, named Global Gaming’s 2020 Property of the Year. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, the parent company of HRI, owns the brand.

According to Hard Rock, establishing a temporary organization bolsters the band’s presence and commitment to Bristol and marks the group’s “first major milestone” in the city.

The temporary full-service casino spans 30,000 square feet and features approximately 900 gaming slots and 20 gaming tables. The facility will feature the main casino floor in addition to non-smoking and high-limit gaming rooms. Additionally, guests will have access to a new restaurant, a grab-and-go food outlet, a sports bar and lounge featuring live entertainment, as well as an adjacent smoking sports lounge. 

Hard Rock’s temporary casino in Bristol, Virginia, will create 600 new jobs with diverse gaming activities, amenities, and services, including a sportsbook, Virginia lottery offices, and a retail store. The temporary casino is scheduled to open before the end of the second quarter of 2022, with work beginning soon at the Women’s Belk store at the former Bristol Mall.

Earlier this week, Rush Street Gaming performed a ceremonial groundbreaking for constructing its £300 million Rivers Casino Portsmouth complex in Virginia. The decision to allow casino gaming was made when voters approved it in a series of November 2020 referendums, with Norfolk and Danville also voting yes. The Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Caesars Entertainment are operating partners on those developments.

A fifth proposed project was shelved last month after residents of Richmond, Virginia’s capital, rejected Urban One’s $565 million One Casino + Resort.

Quotes from the Press Release

“We’ve expanded the Hard Rock experience to several new locations this year, and our presence in Bristol, Virginia; that is particularly satisfying for the brand as it’s our first hotel & casino in the state,” says Jon Lucas, chief operating officer of Hard Rock International.

“The project will stimulate economic growth, generate additional tax money, and generate new jobs for the city and its environs. We eagerly await the arrival of Hard Rock enthusiasts in the new year.”