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Hard Rock Bristol goes all-in for grand opening
The bright lights of Bristol shine considerably brighter following the opening of Virginia’s second full-fledged casino. The Nov. 14 grand opening of the $515 million-plus Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, Virginia’s first hotel/casino combo, was grand indeed. Symphonies of sounds, from music to slot machines, indicated the site’s time for business had arrived. “This [&hell[...]
Out & About August 2024
On June 13, Virginia Business honored the winners of the 2024 Virginia CFO Awards during the magazine’s annual black-tie banquet at Richmond’s Jefferson Hotel. Photos by Rick DeBerry. 1. L to R: Virginia CFO Awards nominee Paul Huckfeldt of Hooker Furnishings and wife, Annette; 2024 CFO Awards winner Joel Flax of Cohen Investment Group and wife, […]
Caesars Virginia — a work in progress
Lots can change over three years and eight months. Back in September 2020, Danville, its industrial development authority and Nevada-based Caesars Entertainment signed a development agreement naming Caesars the city’s preferred gaming operator and outlining the parties’ obligations. Back then, Caesars budgeted $400 million to build its Caesars Virginia resort casino on the Schoolfield [...]
Hard Rock Bristol delays permanent casino opening
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol‘s development team has pushed back the opening of the permanent casino, previously expected in July, and will instead open its approximately $515 million permanent casino resort in late fall. The team — a joint venture between Hard Rock, Par Ventures President Clyde Stacy and The United Co. Chairman […]
Northern Va. Big Deal: Safari in Spotsy
A high school marching band, a giant seafood boil and an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 people helped celebrate the Oct. 20, 2023, groundbreaking for the $900 million, 1.38 million-square-foot Kalahari Resort in Spotsylvania County. The fifth African-themed resort from the privately owned, Wisconsin-based Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, the sprawling tourism and events destination is planned[...]
Caesars Virginia ‘tops off’ Danville casino
Caesars Virginia is a step closer to opening its permanent casino in Danville after a topping-off ceremony Thursday. Though the temporary casino opened in May 2023, work on the permanent Caesars Virginia casino and 12-story hotel has been ongoing. The floor of the casino has been poured, metal framing is in place and the hotel […]
$900M water park resort breaks ground in Spotsylvania
A massive water park resort has broken ground in Spotsylvania County. The 1.38 million-square-foot Spotsylvania County Kalahari Resort, located between U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95 in Thornburg, north of Kings Dominion, is expected to offer a 907-room hotel, a 175,000-square-foot indoor waterpark featuring slides, a wave pool and surf park. Also planned are 10 […]
Casino backers gamble on November revote
On Aug. 31, a new name was unveiled for the proposed $562 million resort casino that Richmond voters will be reconsidering in a November referendum: the Richmond Grand Resort & Casino. But not much else appears new about the project. The Richmond Grand Resort & Casino seems virtually identical to the proposed ONE Casino + […]
Richmond casino reintroduced with new name
The corporate backers of a $562 million Richmond casino on Thursday unveiled a new name for the resort casino city voters will consider approving this fall: Richmond Grand Resort & Casino. But not much else appears to be new about the proposed project. Many of the features of the proposed ONE Casino + Resort that […]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: CLYDE STACY
A former coal mining executive who headed Rapoca Energy, Stacy is a prominent developer and investor in his hometown of Bristol. He purchased the vacant Bristol Mall for $2.6 million in 2018 and partnered with longtime friend Jim McGlothlin, chairman of The United Co., to build Virginia’s first casino. The two friends were instrumental in changing state […]
Virginia hold ’em
The slot machines are already ringing out in Bristol and Portsmouth, where Virginia’s first commercial casinos opened during the past year. The state’s first permanent casino, Rivers Casino Portsmouth, opened its doors on Jan. 23. Operated by Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, the resort has 1,148 slot machines, 57 table games and 24 poker tables, as […]
Tech-savvy ski resorts weather climate change
Warmer winters mean ski resorts must manufacture more snow to keep slopes open, but improved technology has helped offset costs and streamlined the process. Wintergreen Resort has more than 400 snow guns that over the season can cover 26 trails in 3 feet of snow, says General Manager Jay Gamble. Under optimal conditions over 24 […]
