According to a building permit reviewed by the Times News, the city of Bristol issued the permit on Aug. 24 for the $110-million project. The owner, Bristol Mall Holding Company, LCC, also paid a permit fee of $50,000.

The casino is located at 500 Gate City Highway, the former site of the Bristol Mall. Construction for the hotel and resort is already becoming visible from the road, a sign of the progress for many Bristol visitors and residents.

The former mall property is set to be turned into an official Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol location with two hotel towers, a pool, a live music space, restaurants, shops and a convention center. The first phase of the hotel is set to include 303 hotel rooms, a space, a gym and an indoor and outdoor pool.

“The construction at the Hard Rock Resort & Casino in Bristol is moving fast, with a shell of a large building visible from the road,” said Neal Osborne, mayor of Bristol, Virginia. “This is incredibly exciting for our city. Over the past year or so, we’ve seen the tremendous positive impact Hard Rock has had on Bristol, from a spike in tourism, to increased tax revenues for the entire region, to philanthropic contributions to area nonprofits.”

The project is being contracted and managed by TN Ward Company and BurWil Construction. TN Ward Company, based out of Pennsylvania, has worked on other Hard Rock Casino projects. The company most recently celebrated the grand opening of the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Indiana, in May 2021. BurWil Construction has worked on projects such as the newly renovated ETSU D.P. Culp Center and the Pinnacle at Bristol.

The Kingsport Times News previously published that the Bristol Casino development team had already poured the foundation and steel started to arrive in July. The Bristol Casino expects to finish the first phase of the hotel and updates to the casino by summer 2024.

“A rising tide lifts all boats, and this casino is a game changer,” Osborne said. “I look forward to seeing its completion over the next year and residents of Bristol as well as the rest of the Mountain Empire getting to enjoy the full Hard Rock experience.”

Representatives from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol declined to comment on the recent developments.

For more information about the Bristol Casino, visit https://www.hardrockhotelcasinobristol.com/.