Hard Rock International makes headway in Virginia as the gaming conglomerate celebrates a successful first two weeks of its legal sportsbook retail operations.
Launch of Hard Rock legal sports betting
Bristol Casino opened its doors on Monday 11th January following a ribbon cutting ceremony that morning.
In addition to the site’s sportsbook kiosk, Hard Rock Bristol offers players 30,000 square feet of gaming space with 21 tables and 870 slot machines.
Bristol’s latest acquisition is tiny compared to Hard Rock’s other investments. Still, sports betting fans in Virginia are excited about the opportunity to try other forms of gambling.
Hard Rock’s new location is temporary. Construction on Hard Rock’s permanent resort is underway, with a debut expected sometime in 2024.
Permanent location in view
With triple the space and activities of the company’s current strip mall venues, players in the state have a lot to look forward to.
Jim McGlothlin, Chairman of The United Co., and Clyde Stacy, President of Par Ventures LLC, both played integral roles in the development of Hard Rock International’s latest project. In a joint statement, the two expressed their pride in their work. You say,
“’Bristol Casino – Future Home of Hard Rock’ is something Bristolians can be very proud of. We are pleased that the project is having an immediate impact on boosting Bristol’s economy by bringing at least 600 new, well-paid jobs to the city. This is just a start as the project will create even more jobs when the permanent casino opens.”
Local bettors have been using legal mobile sports betting apps to place bets for well over a year. Still, the state’s gaming infrastructure is incredibly young and has a long way to go.
Unlike other legal sports betting states, which prioritized the introduction of brick-and-mortar books, Virginia’s lack of in-person casinos led to major delays in a retail debut.
Nevertheless, the state finally seems to be catching up.
More sports betting arrivals to come
Punters in Virginia can expect the arrival of three additional casinos over the next two years. Rivers Casino Portsmouth is expected to be the state’s first permanent opening, with plans to open in early 2023.
Danville will be the next Virginia town to open a local casino as Caesars Entertainment aims to complete its project before the end of 2023.
The last of these locations to open is the Pamunkey Indian tribe’s HeadWaters Resort & Casino in Norfolk. With a permanent opening expected sometime in 2024, HeadWaters is certainly late to the party.
However, we anticipate this will not be the last addition to Virginia’s state gambling laws. Since it’s so new to the game, there’s plenty of room for growth.
For more updates on Virginia gambling, please come back and visit us.
Source: Virginia Business