Allie Evangelista Named New President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol

Hard Rock International has announced that Allie Evangelista has become the new president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol located in Bristol, Virginia. In her new position, Evangelista will be reporting directly under Hard Rock International COO Jon Lucas.

Lucas released a statement following the announcement noting that Evangelista’s life is a personification of “the American success story” as she has worked in every single aspect of the hospitality and gaming industries. According to Lucas, Evangelista will bring this accumulated experience over to the Hotel, along with the team of talented people that she is assembling to assist her.

Evangelista also expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity and mentioned her passion “for exploring new and diverse opportunities”, while also looking forward to taking in the region’s beauty, music, and recreational options. She went on to note that the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will complement the reasons that draw visitors to the Tri-Cities area, including ones from Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

United Company chairman Jim McGlothlin has also welcomed Evangelista’s entry into the project, noting that she knows what works, and will use that knowledge when it comes to dealing with subjects regarding the opening or the operating of the Hotel.

Evangelista’s Career Trajectory and Fresh Challenges

In 2006, Evangelista started as an assistant slot operations manager in Missouri, launching herself into the gaming industry. She climbed to the position of director of casino operations and then VP of casino operations at an Iowa casino in 2014. That, however, wasn’t the end of her story, as she kept rising through the ladder of the gaming industry. Five years later she became the VP and general manager of the Hollywood Gaming and Racetrack property in Ohio. Her most recent position was that VP and general manager of the Hollywood Casino Perryville in Maryland.

The Bristol project’s temporary casino is estimated to open before the end of the second quarter of 2022 and will sprawl on 2787.09 square meters (30,000 square feet). The space will feature 900 gaming slots, 20 tables, and a sportsbook with diverse gaming options.

Included will also be the main casino floor, a non-smoking area, and a new restaurant with a grab-and-go food outlet included. A sports lounge with entertainment is also planned for, along with an adjacent one with smoking allowed. The Hard Rock temporary casino will create 600 new jobs.