BRISTOL, Va. - The Bristol Virginia City Council voted unanimously this morning to certify HR Bristol LLC as the city's preferred gaming operator.
Today is the state-imposed deadline for the certification, occurring one month after city voters overwhelmingly approved a plan for Hard Rock International to establish a $400 million casino, hotel and resort at the Bristol Mall.
It is now up to the Virginia Lottery Board to finalize its casino regulations, so that Hard Rock can formally submit its request for a gaming license. That is expected by April 2021.
HR Bristol LLC is to be the management of the project and includes Hard Rock, project founders Jim McGlothlin and Clyde Stacy and their representatives.
"The city has now completed everything it needed to in order to move this project forward," City Manager Randy Eads said after the 10-minute meeting.