Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol opens to visitors with grand ceremony

The global hospitality, gaming and entertainment company, Hard Rock International, announced that its newest hotel and casino in Virginia opened its doors to visitors.

Grand opening ceremony and concerts celebrate Bristol's new hotel and casino

Last week, the company confirmed that a grand opening ceremony celebrated the opening of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol.

The brand-new venue, located at 500 Gate City Highway in Bristol successfully fuses gambling, entertainment, hospitality and fine dining.

Opening its doors to customers Thursday, the newest Hard Rock venue organized an exciting event, inviting leaders, businesses and community members.

In typical Hard Rock fashion, the event featured an iconic guitar smash ceremony.

Moreover, live performances by Blake Shelton and Soul Asylum on Thursday and Saturday kicked off the opening of the hotel and casino destination.

Ahead of the opening of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol, the venue operated from a temporary facility called Bristol Casino – Future Home of Hard Rock.

The temporary venue operated between July 2022 and November 11, 2024.

Despite being a temporary location, Bristol Casino – Future Home of Hard Rock welcomed more than 3m guests.

In addition, it delivered nearly $1m in proceeds to nonprofit organizations, while contributing $68m in taxes to Virginia and paying an excess of $262m in jackpots.

The opening of the brand-new hotel and casino marks an exciting moment

Now, the permanent Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol brings more than 50 table games, as well as close to 1,500 slot machines.

In addition, the venue offers a sportsbook, more than 300 luxury hotel rooms, as well as seven different dining outlets, including the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe.

Not unexpectedly, the new hotel and casino features a Hard Rock Live entertainment venue with more than 2,000 seats, a Rock Shop and other amenities, including authentic music memorabilia.

The construction of the project helped deliver between 900 and 1,000 temporary jobs.

On the other hand, the new hotel and casino are expected to create more than 1,400 full-time and part-time jobs, offering career opportunities to Bristol residents and people living in the region.

Allie Evangelista, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Bristol's president, spoke about the importance of the opening of the new venue.

"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," she explained in a press release.

Finally, Evangelista pointed out: "We look forward to offering guests Hard Rock's world-renowned amenities combined with Bristol's legendary hospitality and service."

Jon Lucas, Hard Rock International's COO, added that the opening of the new venue represents a landmark moment for both Hard Rock and the Bristol community.

"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," the executive explained in conclusion.

Image credit: Hard Rock International