Published on: December 16, 2024, 10:23 AM.
Last updated on: December 16, 2024, 10:35 AM.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol celebrated the opening of its permanent resort on November 14. The $515 million establishment saw a surge in visitation and gaming activity during its initial two weeks, leading to record gaming revenue in the town of Southern Virginia.
The Virginia Lottery Board, the governing body overseeing casinos and sports betting in the state, announced that in November, Hard Rock Bristol generated over $18 million in player winnings.
This marked the first instance of Hard Rock Bristol reporting monthly gross gaming revenue (GGR) exceeding $18 million. The temporary gaming space that operated from April 2022 until Nov. 11, 2024, was succeeded by the grand opening of the permanent establishment that registered exceptional GGR amidst great enthusiasm among players.
Despite being open for only 17 days in November, the inauguration of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol attracted a large number of patrons, resulting in unprecedented gaming revenue in Bristol.
Impressive Performance
Hard Rock Bristol previously recorded its highest monthly revenue of $16.3 million in March 2024.
The casino’s opening weekend, featuring a concert by country music star Blake Shelton, drew 58,000 visitors. Over 100,000 individuals visited the integrated resort during its 17-day operation period.
During the opening weekend, Hard Rock Bristol charged premium prices for its 303 hotel rooms, with Friday rates starting at $599. Including taxes and a nightly resort fee, the total cost amounted to $741.52.
Despite the high rates, the hotel reached full occupancy, attracting both high rollers and loyal rewards members. The casino’s 1,408 slot machines and 62 live dealer table games were in high demand throughout the weekend.
In November, slot revenue at Hard Rock Bristol reached $15.5 million, with table games contributing nearly $2.6 million to the total revenue of $18,072,828.02.
Among Virginia’s other casinos, Rivers Casino Portsmouth and Caesars Virginia reported revenue of $25.7 million and $19.7 million, respectively, in November.
The Virginia Lottery Board is expected to release sports betting revenue figures next week.
Local Impact
Virginia’s 2020 casino legislation aimed to revitalize economically challenged cities by permitting the establishment of casino resorts. Bristol, located on the Virginia-Tennessee border, is beginning to experience the positive effects of this initiative.
Hard Rock Bristol has created over 1,000 jobs offering salaries above the city’s median income. The casino also contributes 6% of its monthly revenue to the local Bristol government, amounting to over $1 million in November.
Bristol is not the only city benefiting from the presence of a casino.
Portsmouth has been collecting casino taxes since the opening of Rivers Casino in January 2023, while Danville has also benefited from a temporary casino operated by Caesars Entertainment since May 2023. Caesars Virginia will inaugurate its permanent $750 million facility on December 17.
Similar to Hard Rock Bristol, Caesars Virginia charged premium rates for its opening nights, starting at $499 for the 320-room resort. Prices were later increased to $799 and then $1,000 per night before taxes and a nightly resort fee. The property is sold out until Thursday.