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Bristol

First Va. casino opens in Bristol
Dec 1, 2022

$400M Bristol casino to break ground Dec. 7

Virginia’s first casino, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, is getting closer to moving into its permanent home. Officials will break ground at the casino’s permanent home at the former Bristol Mall, at 500 Gate City Highway in Bristol on Dec. 7, the casino announced Thursday. The $400 million permanent casino, set to open […]

2022 Virginia Business Person of the Year: Jim McGlothlin
Nov 29, 2022

2022 Virginia Business Person of the Year: Jim McGlothlin

Jim McGlothlin had never really thought much about paintings. He was more of a music guy, a fan of Elvis, whom he saw in concert six months before the King’s 1977 death. But the art of the deal — in this case, winning a valuable artwork at an auction — was a familiar feeling.  “That’s […]

“What I got out of it was leaps and bounds beyond what I anticipated,” D’Ivonne Holman says of Leadership Fairfax, a leadership development program she graduated in 2019. Holman is development director for the nonprofit Lamb Center, a Fairfax homeless shelter. Photo by Will Schermerhorn
Jul 28, 2022

Lead on

Not long after D’Ivonne Holman became director of development for Northern Virginia family services nonprofit Britepaths in 2018, she signed up to participate in Leadership Fairfax, a leadership development organization focused on local and regional challenges in Fairfax County. Her boss, a Leadership Fairfax alum, encouraged her to apply. She was accepted into Leadership Fairfax’s [&h[...]

First Va. casino opens in Bristol
Jul 8, 2022

First Va. casino opens in Bristol

Virginia’s first casino, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, held the grand opening for its temporary casino space Friday. “We are excited to open the temporary casino in Bristol,” Hard Rock International Inc. Chief Operating Officer Jon Lucas said in a statement. “Hard Rock’s rich and storied music legacy is a perfect fit for Bristol, […]

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Apr 27, 2022

Va. Lottery Board awards first casino license

The Virginia Lottery Board has issued its first license for a casino in Virginia to Hard Rock Bristol, the board announced Wednesday. With its permanent casino still on track to open at the former Bristol Mall in July 2024, Hard Rock International Inc. is preparing to open a 30,000-square-foot temporary casino with 870 gaming slots […]

The former Bristol Mall is being converted into a Hard Rock casino and resort hotel, slated for completion by late 2022. Rendering courtesy Friedmutter Group
Apr 4, 2022

Bristol temporary casino to open July 8

Hard Rock International Inc. will open its temporary casino in Bristol July 8, the company announced Thursday. The 30,000-square-foot temporary full-service casino featuring 900 gaming slots and 20 tables for gaming operations will open at 500 Gate City Highway, the former Bristol Mall. It is expected to generate 600 jobs. In February, the casino named […]

“Those of us that live here used to joke that we need to educate folks that Virginia doesn’t end at Roanoke,” says Cathy Lowe, executive director of the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator. Photo by Earl Neikirk
Mar 30, 2022

Rising in the Southwest

Through decades of owning her own beauty salon and later a gift shop in downtown Abingdon, Cathy Lowe developed an interest in economic development. In 2006, she decided to run for town council and won — ultimately serving for 12 years, including six as vice mayor and two as mayor. Throughout her career, Lowe, who […]

McGlothlins make nearly $60M gift to VMFA
Mar 15, 2022

McGlothlins make nearly $60M gift to VMFA

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts announced Tuesday that Bristol-area philanthropists James W. and Frances Gibson McGlothlin have donated nearly $60 million toward the Richmond museum’s expansion campaign, including 15 paintings. Alex Nyerges, the VMFA’s director and CEO, said that a 170,000-square-foot wing will be named for the McGlothlins, who previously made a $30 million […]

Internet service provider EarthLink is building a $5.4 million customer support center in Norton, creating 285 jobs. Photo by Earl Niekirk
Feb 27, 2022

Finding new solutions

Movers and shakers in Southwest Virginia wanted to try a new approach to economic development. The stakes were (and are) high. Naturally, the decline of the coal industry had a devastating impact on Virginia’s coalfields. The Appalachian Regional Commission classifies four counties in Southwest Virginia — Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee and Wise — as economically distressed. […]

Hard Rock Bristol Casino President Allie Evangelista
Feb 22, 2022

Hard Rock names president of new Bristol hotel and casino

Hard Rock International Inc. has announced a president to lead its hotel and casino operations in Bristol. Allie Evangelista most recently served three years as a vice president and general manager for Penn National Gaming operations, including the past seven months at Hollywood Casino Perryville, in Maryland. Evangelista has “already hit the ground running and […]

The former Bristol Mall is being converted into a Hard Rock casino and resort hotel, slated for completion by late 2022. Rendering courtesy Friedmutter Group
Dec 9, 2021

Construction begins on Hard Rock casino in Bristol

Construction has started on the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol’s temporary casino, with opening scheduled in the second quarter of 2022, Hard Rock International Inc. announced Thursday. Before its permanent casino is built, Hard Rock will build a 30,000-square-foot casino at the former Bristol Mall. It will feature 900 gaming slots and 20 tables […]

Amazon opens career center, two distribution facilities in Hampton Roads
Sep 8, 2021

Amazon opens delivery station in Bristol

The Amazon.com Inc. delivery station in Bristol opened for its first official day of operation Wednesday. Located at 103 Thomas Road, the station is 72,000 square feet. A delivery station creates on average 100 to 150 full- and part-time associate jobs “in addition to hundreds of driver opportunities,” with wages of at least $15 per […]

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