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 [...]
Va. receives $22.7M to reclaim abandoned mine lands
The Virginia Department of Energy will receive $22.7 million in federal funding toward redeveloping abandoned mine lands across the commonwealth, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The funding is aimed at redeveloping the sites so that they can be used to attract new development and job opportunities to the region. Handled[...]
Training’s in the cards for Hard Rock Bristol
Mike Pauley started learning poker from his grandfather around age 8 and traveled around the nation playing competitively during his early 20s. When he learned that the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol was hiring casino dealers, he applied online. “I had thought about having a career somewhere, but I didn’t want to move [...]
FOR THE RECORD
Central Virginia The state’s fiscal 2023-24 budget, approved June 1, contains funding that will benefit future redevelopment of the Central Virginia Training Center site in Madison Heights. Republican Sen. Steve Newman requested $25 million in state money to annul outstanding bonds associated with CVTC, a former state facility for people with intellectual disabilities that closed […]
Wise County IDA buys vacant office building for $1.2M
The Wise County Industrial Development Authority purchased a vacant office building in the Lonesome Pine Regional Business and Technology Park with a $1.2 million loan from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, officials announced Wednesday. The 10,000-square-foot building sits on approximately 4.63 acres at 595[...]
Packaging manufacturer to create 75 jobs in Smyth County
Northlake, Illinois-based Scholle IPN, a flexible packaging supplier, will invest $31.1 million to expand in Smyth County, a project expected to create 75 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. Scholle IPN will expand its Smyth County facility by 73,000 square feet to allow new manufacturing lines for film extrusion and [...]
E&H course demystifies blockchain for businesses
Business professionals will join Emory & Henry College students this summer for a course that will suggest how blockchain technology can help entrepreneurs, ultimately aiding development in Southwest Virginia. A collaboration between E&H’s School of Business, InvestSWVA and William & Mary’s Global Research Instit[...]
Counties collaborating on industrial park
In the coming months, the rubble of a demolished furniture factory on a roughly 70-acre property in Chilhowie will be hauled away to make room for an industrial park. Smyth County is teaming up with Bland and Washington counties, forming the Pathway Regional Industrial Facilities Authority to create Pathway Park, which will feat[...]
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 sl[...]
Judge dismisses Trigiani lawsuit against New Peoples Bank
A federal judge issued a summary judgment last week, dismissing all claims in former executive Mary Y. Trigiani’s lawsuit against Russell County-based New Peoples Bank for discrimination and wrongful termination. Trigiani’s complaints of a “cultlike office culture” did not hold up to judicial scrutiny, U.[...]
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 Fe[...]
Va. Energy seeks applications for mine reclamation projects
Companies with three or more years of mining and reclamation experience may apply for a chance to bid on the state’s Abandoned Mine Land projects, the Virginia Department of Energy announced this week. Projects involve removing safety hazards and environmental issues resulting from coal mining before 1977. Applicants will [...]