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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 [...]
Coalfields Expressway: Mostly unfinished and unfunded
Progress on a proposed 115-mile federal highway to improve transportation connectivity between Southwest Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky has been crawling in the commonwealth. Authorized by Congress in 1995, the Coalfields Expressway (CFX) — U.S. Route 121 — would run from U.S. Route 23 in Pound to Inter[...]
Rising to the challenges
Last summer, as I was eating dinner at a Norfolk bar with a group of my Lead Virginia classmates from far Southwest Virginia, one of them asked what decision makers in Richmond thought about their region. “Most of them don’t think about it at all,” I replied bluntly and not a little sadly. During my […]
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 […]
SW community colleges to create wind manufacturing workforce
The presidents of four community colleges in Southwest Virginia signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to establish a wind manufacturing workforce development partnership. “Today’s MOU signing is meaningful because it demonstrates our resident and abiding interest in collaborating. Our four community college pres[...]
Coal waste project launches in SW Va.
A public-private project to evaluate the critical minerals in coal waste products in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky launched Wednesday with a community meeting in the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator in Abingdon. The project, Evolve Central Appalachia (Evolve CAPP), is part of an almost $1.5 million grant from t[...]
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 n[...]
Sign manufacturer to open facility in Bluefield
Chicago-based custom sign manufacturer Signco Inc. will invest $650,000 to take over the former MC Signs facility at 334 Industrial Park Road in Bluefield, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. Signco, which is owned by Anthony Morrone and Vince Sclafani, expects to hire 19 workers at the facility. “Signco’s technology and custom product specifications are advancing […]
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[...]
