Bristol voters have approved the proposed $400 million Hard Rock Casino Bristol, which is set to be built on the site of the now-closed Bristol Mall. Rendering courtesy Alliance Group
Voters in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth overwhelmingly supported local referendums allowing four commercial casinos to be built in their cities, with results declared two hours after polls closed at 7 p.m. According to the Virginia Department of Elections, citizens in the four Virginia cities voted close to two to one in favor of casinos in their cities during the Nov. 3 election.
With all 17 precincts reporting, 68.67% of Danville in-person voters approved the $400 million Caesars Entertainment Inc. casino resort. With three of five in-person precincts reporting in Bristol, 72.37% of voters said yes to the Hard Rock-backed casino that is set to be built at the former Bristol Mall property. In Norfolk, with 20 of 49 in-person precincts reporting, 63.69% of voters voted yes, and in Portsmouth, with 17 of 32 in-person precincts reporting, 66.62% of voters voted in favor of the casino referendum.
“Caesars Entertainment thanks the voters of Danville for their support of the referendum that will bring Caesars Virginia to Danville,” Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars, said in a statement Tuesday night. “We look forward to fulfilling the trust the voters have placed in us by bringing 1,300 good-paying jobs, tourism dollars and economic development to the city, and we are incredibly excited to begin construction. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to the many respected business owners and citizens who shared the positive impact this resort will bring to the community with their customers, friends and neighbors. We are pleased to be welcomed into the Danville community and look forward to a long, successful future.”
