BRISTOL, Va. (WDBJ) – Five small businesses in southwestern Virginia are celebrating after winning a pitch contest organized by Virginia Community Capital and hosted by Hard Rock Casino Bristol.
The honor came with a cash award, and the possibility of a continuing relationship with the casino.
Brian Weber, Jacqui Sobieski and Riley Sobieski had just returned to Virginia Mountain Vineyards in Botetourt County when we spoke Friday afternoon.
They were excited about the $10,000 check, but also the validation and visibility the award offers.
“We have so many people come here and they are astonished by the view. They seem to love the wines and have a really relaxing atmosphere here, but they say why didn’t we know about you,” Jacqui Sobieski told WDBJ7, “so it helps us both from a business standpoint, but also I think it puts us on the map.”
Virginia Mountain Vineyards was one of five winners, along with Anne Vaughan Designs of Floyd County, Beagle Ridge Herb Farm of Wythe County, The Orange Bandana from Montgomery County and The Pakalachian Food Truck from Washington County.
The Southwest Virginia Regional Bristol Casino Pitch Contest received 17 applications from 11 counties.
Virginia Community Capital led the effort with help from several organizations, including the Virginia Small Business Administration, Friends of Southwestern Virginia, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator and the SWVA Small Business Development Centers.
And as Hard Rock International builds a permanent presence in Bristol, the company says it will look to the finalists as potential vendors.
Allie Evangelista is President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol.
“Potentially all 10 of them could be doing business with us, short-term and long-term,” Evangelista said. “Certainly the winners will be getting a grant that will help their business and hopefully take it further out, but yeah we’re excited to do more business with local organizations, but certainly women and minority owned.”
The permanent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2024.
And Evangelista said the company is committed to working with local businesses.
For Virginia Mountain Vineyards that could mean supplying wine for restaurants, gift shops or perhaps the casino’s own private label.
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