Business View Civil and Municipal | March 2021

160 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL MARCH 2021 AT A GLANCE BRISTOL, VIRGINIA WHAT: The birthplace of country music; population 17,000 WHERE: On the state line separating Virginia and Tennessee WEBSITE: www.bristolva.org Bristol, Virginia O pening a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Virginia, blends the city’s heritage with a vision for the future. Known as the birthplace of country music, the city was incorporated in the mid-19th century when two different railroads met at the border of Virginia and Tennessee. This location fostered a culture of cooperation that helped a mountain valley community become the commerce and entertainment destination of a five-state region. With voters having approved the Hard Rock project in November, Bristol, Virginia is ready to show the world its unique combination of natural beauty, big city amenities, and modern infrastructure. “Hard Rock is an internationally known brand and they’ve decided that Bristol really is a good place to be,” says Mayor, Bill Hartley. “Then, I think it helps us attract other businesses that may now give us a second look and say, ‘wait a minute, Hard Rock saw something there in the quality of life, in the cost of doing business, in the workforce; and if they saw something, we don’t want to overlook it either, so let’s look at this.’” There is certainly plenty to see in and around Bristol, Virginia. The city is home to about 17,000 residents and the 24,000-square-foot Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. It’s about 20 minutes from the Appalachian Trail, as well as some of the best trout fishing in the world. And for those who want something a little more fast paced, the 162,000-seat Bristol Motor Speedway is just 15 minutes from downtown. Together, Bristol, Virginia, and Bristol, Tennessee, are home to about 45,000 people. “In fact, we’re unique in that the main street of our city is the state line between Virginia and Tennessee,” explains Hartley. “So we are really A U N I Q U E C I T Y W I T H A RO C K I N ’ F U T U R E