Video: Chairman Jim Allen reviews development of new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol

Meeting with reporters following the grand opening of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol on Thursday, Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen answered media questions surrounding the project's development from an old shopping mall to an entertainment destination.

   

“If we go back, and I say this with great humor to Clyde and Jim, when I first came down, they had signs up in the old Sears building, ‘we’ll that will be the casino.’ And I said I don't think that's going to work. But certainly navigating what we could reuse of the old mall and obviously building this new facility really turned out well. And as Allie Evangelista (President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol) mentioned, the temporary [casino] certainly has finishes in it as nice as many casinos in the United States. But we certainly were taken to the next level with the entertainment destination. And as I've been working here now, in and out the last three or four weeks, we're pretty happy with what we’ve created.

“In the United States, not just here in Bristol, there's so many abandoned malls. And unfortunately, something that was so popular in the 70s and 80s now becomes some challenge real estate. So to be able to take that amazing geographic location and turn it into a true destination, hopefully thats something that’s very beneficial to the area itself.

“We are incredibly happy with the results of the temporary [casino], they have truly exceeded our expectations. We're privately held [company], so we don't have to say something just to pump our stock. I mean the reality is, we truly are. You need someone who gives hundreds of millions of dollars away. You know, that's pretty unique.

“And we looked more long term about the relationship, not just how much gross money the facility can generate. But we certainly knew Bristol had this amazing legacy that we could build upon, especially not just because of a recent success. But going back to the history of music, and obviously country music. That’s something very important.”

Hard Rock casino grand opening in Virginia attracts visitor from Germany

A visitor from Germany became the first person to check into the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol, Va., on Wednesday. The new casino resort held a VIP preview event on Wednesday night and opened to the public on Thursday.

Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen pointed out the German visitor by his first name “Andy” during a grand opening ceremony on Thursday.

“We actually have a special guest in the audience that no one here locally is aware that the individual is here. Where is Andy?” Allen said. Since 1993 Andy has visited over 400 Hard Rock locations around the world, Allen explained. “He flew in especially just for our opening.”

During a media tour on Thursday morning, Hassan Abdel-Moneim, head of Hard Rock hotel operations, confirmed the first guest to check in arrived from Germany.

“Our first guest checked in yesterday,” Abdel-Moneim said. “I wanna say it was at 11:30 a.m. The gentlemen came all the way from Germany.”

The New Resort

Located at 500 Gate City Highway in Bristol, the 620,000-square-foot resort features nearly 1,500 slot machines, more than 50 table games, a sportsbook, 300-plus hotel rooms, and seven unique dining options, including a signature Hard Rock Cafe. The venue also offers a 2,000-plus seat Hard Rock Live, Rock Shop, designated non-smoking and high-limit gaming areas, authentic music memorabilia, and more.

The new location that opened to the public on Thursday started as a temporary casino, simply titled Bristol Casino. It opened in July 2022.

The temporary Bristol Casino welcomed over three million guests, paid over $68 million in gaming taxes to the Commonwealth of Virginia, donated over $960,000 to support local community nonprofit organizations, and paid over $262 million in jackpots.  The project created approximately 900-1,000 construction-specific jobs and is expected to create over 1,400 full-time and part-time jobs.

The grand opening Thursday featured Hard Rock executives and partners.

Bristol Support

"This is such a monumental moment for the Bristol community and Hard Rock," said Jon Lucas, COO of Hard Rock International. "Hard Rock's music heritage is a natural fit for Bristol, the 'Birthplace of Country Music.' We look forward to serving Bristol and the surrounding region with world-class gaming, dining, and entertainment offerings."

"This milestone brings great pride to Bristol," said Jim McGlothlin, chairman of The United Company, and Clyde Stacy, president of Par Ventures. "Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is creating well-paying jobs and generating new tax revenue across Southwest Virginia, and local businesses in the Tri-Cities region are already seeing increased tourism and spending. None of this would have been realized without the support of Bristol's residents and leaders."

"This is such an amazing day for Bristol," said Allie Evangelista, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol. "The support from the Bristol community has been inspirational to our dedicated team, which has worked around the clock to prepare for today's grand opening. We look forward to offering guests Hard Rock's world-renowned amenities combined with Bristol's legendary hospitality and service."

More to Come

The opening weekend celebration continues with concert performances by Blake Shelton on Thursday, followed by Soul Asylum on Saturday. Both events will take place in the new Hard Rock Live entertainment venue.

Hard Rock closing temporary Bristol Casino, full resort opens Thursday

Hard Rock International announced on Sunday that its temporary Bristol Casino will close on Monday at 3 a.m. to make way for the grand opening of the permanent resort on Thursday at noon.

The temporary Bristol Casino opened in July 2022 operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In September, the casino had 905 slot machines and 29 table games available to guests, according to a monthly report issued by the Virginia Lottery office.

“Players club memberships and Unity Points will transfer seamlessly from the temporary to the permanent casino, ensuring continued access to rewards and privileges,” Hard Rock said in their announcement. “The permanent facility boasts more than 620,000 square feet of gaming, entertainment, dining, and hospitality space.”

A grand opening ceremony on Thursday will feature a signature Hard Rock Guitar Smash event and a concert by country music artist Blake Shelton at the new entertainment venue. The facility is located at 500 Gate City Highway in Bristol, Va.

“Hard Rock’s rich history fits perfectly with Bristol’s distinction as the ‘Birthplace of Country Music,” said Jon Lucas, COO of Hard Rock International.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol will feature nearly 1,500 slot machines, over 50 table games, a sportsbook, a 303-room hotel, and multiple dining options, including a signature Hard Rock Cafe, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, YOUYU Asian Dining, Constant Grind, and the Marketplace. The facility will also house a Rock Shop, 2,000-plus seat Hard Rock Live, authentic music memorabilia, and much more.