The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is open for business following a guitar-smashing ceremony on Thursday morning. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Virginia’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is finally open for business, with a guitar-smashing spectacle marking the occasion rather than a ribbon cutting:

Thursday’s opening was four years in the making; over 200 items of music memorabilia are on display at the casino, including Elvis Presley’s gold jacket and one of Beyoncé’s dresses.

almost 1,500 slot machines, dozens of table games, and a retail sportsbook

Country musician Blake Shelton is performing at 8pm Thursday to a sold-out 2,000-seat venue at the property. Gamblers can now enjoy almost 1,500 slot machines, dozens of table games, and a retail sportsbook. Work is continuing on a 14-table poker room, as well.

A temporary casino operated nearby during construction – its July 2022 opening marked the first time a legal casino opened for business in Virginia. The permanent property will employ about 1,400 people and hopes to surpass the $157m in net gaming revenue and $66m in gaming taxes the temporary facility generated in its first year.

Hard Rock Bristol only became a reality in November 2020 when voters passed referendums allowing five cities in the state to develop casinos. Developers broke ground in December 2022 and changed plans from a phased opening during this summer to a full-fledged launch in late fall.