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Permanent Hard Rock Bristol casino opens
The bright lights of Bristol shine considerably brighter now following the opening of Virginia’s second full-fledged casino. Thursday heralded the grand opening of the $515 million-plus Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, Virginia’s first hotel/casino combo. Symphonies of sounds, from music to slot machines, indicated the [...]
U.Va. Wise receives largest ever donation
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise has received its largest ever donation, $11.2 million, from The Bill Gatton Foundation, the Wise County college announced Monday. The late Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, a successful businessman who owned the Gatton Automotive Group with dealerships in Kentucky and Tenn[...]
All in good time
For decades, the promise of economic revitalization has tantalized Southwest Virginia. The sparsely populated region, once home to booming coal mining and tobacco industries, has had money and resources thrown at it by local, state and federal governments, but it’s still had a difficult time finding its footing. As the region�[...]
FOR THE RECORD NOVEMBER 2024
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Altria Group and Virginia Commonwealth University are discussing the possibility of the university buying the 450,000-square-foot Altria Center for Research and Technology in downtown Richmond, the two parties acknowledged in October. The East Leigh Street building is assessed at $275 million. If the deal comes to fruition, Altria plans to build a new […]
VCEDA seed grants sow small business growth
Adam Patterson knew if his fashion design company was going to thrive in his hometown of Big Stone Gap, he needed capital — and a new sewing machine. “Mine was so old, it sewed crooked stitches,” says Patterson, founder of Jones-Hurst Designs. Patterson received a $10,000 grant in September from a Virginia Coalfield Econom[...]
Electro-Mechanical launches $16.5M expansion in Washington County
Electro-Mechanical — an electrical equipment manufacturer headquartered in Bristol — will invest $16.55 million to expand in Washington County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. “Electro-Mechanical’s significant expansion in Washington County demonstrates the strength of Southwest Virginia’s manufacturin[...]
Va. agricultural damage from Helene totals $159.3M
Hurricane Helene’s agricultural damage in Virginia totals more than $159.3 million, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension agents’ research. Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Gulf Coast in Florida as a Category 4 storm late on Sept. 26 and tore through the Southeast into Sept. 27, causing catastrophic flooding in pa[...]
Va. casinos report $56.56M in September revenue
Gaming revenues for Virginia’s three casinos totaled $56.56 million in September, according to data the Virginia Lottery released Tuesday. Last month, the Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock reported about $14.09 million in adjusted gaming revenues (wagers minus winnings), of which about $11.68 million came from its 905 s[...]
Hard Rock Bristol to open permanent facility Nov. 14
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol will open its approximately $515 million permanent facility on Nov. 14, with country music star Blake Shelton making an appearance at the ceremony, its development team announced Wednesday. The temporary Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock opened July 8, 2022, making it Virginia’s[...]
EO opens workforce development hub in Abingdon
A former Kmart in Abingdon is now home to a workforce development and child care hub launched by EO, a nonprofit that spun off from the United Way of Southwest Virginia to oversee workforce development programs. EO received the certificate of occupancy for the 87,000-square-foot Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub and b[...]
For The Record October 2024
Central Virginia Fortune 500 company CarMax will be the naming sponsor for the Richmond Flying Squirrels’ new ballpark starting with the 2026 season, the Double-A Minor League Baseball team announced Sept. 4. The Diamond’s replacement will be known as CarMax Park. Although Squirrels President and Managing Partner Lou DiBella said that the deal with CarMax […]
Manufacturer plans $5M expansion in Scott County
VFP, a manufacturer of enclosures used to protect critical infrastructure, will invest $5 million to expand its Scott County facility, a move expected to create 50 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. The expansion will allow VFP to respond to a growing data center market. “Virginia’s robust data center industry r[...]
