Bristol, Virginia gets about the same share of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol's local gaming tax as Wythe County. Under a 2020 agreement approved by the General Assembly, Bristol and 13 other Southwest Virginia localities each get an equal share, which comes to a little more than 7% apiece. Bristol is the host city, so its police, fire crews and roads handle the casino's traffic. Its share of the money is still one-fourteenth.
So the casino doesn't set the property tax on a house off Euclid Avenue or along Virginia Avenue. A closed quarry landfill and the 2024 reassessment cycle do. For a buyer comparing the two sides of State Street, that also means the Virginia side's much lower headline rate doesn't equal a lower bill.
Where the casino money actually goes
Gaming tax from Hard Rock Bristol goes to the Southwest Virginia Regional Improvement Commission. The commission is made up of representatives from the 12 counties and two cities that receive the money. Bristol's arrangement is the only one of its kind among Virginia's casinos. The other host cities collect and keep all of their gaming tax revenue.
The amounts matter, but they don't come close to the size of a city budget. Cardinal News reported in January 2026 that the most recent yearly payment, made in August, gave each locality more than $940,000. The Bristol Herald Courier reported that the Southwest Virginia local share for fiscal 2025–26 came to nearly $16.3 million. Monthly figures are steady. According to WJHL's September 15, 2026 report on Virginia Lottery data, the casino's August 2026 activity produced $1,375,202 for the commission. That money is still divided equally among the 14 localities.
Bristol tried to change the split. City officials presented options that would raise the city's share from about 7% to as much as 50%. Commission members mostly discussed a 27% version. Under that plan, Bristol would have collected about $4.4 million in August 2026, rising to $5.5 million in later years. The neighboring counties had already built the money into their own budgets. Washington County uses it for sheriff's deputies' body cameras and raises for school staff who aren't teachers, and Wythe County puts all of its share into emergency medical services. After taking the proposal to his board, Russell County Administrator Lonzo Lester said he would tell Bristol to "go fly a kite." WJHL reported that the commission rejected the 27% request on January 14, 2026. As of the September 2026 reports, the 14 recipients still split the money equally.
What the rate is really paying for
The reason Bristol asked for more explains its tax rate. In January 2026, then-City Manager Randy Eads said Bristol was the only locality in Southwest Virginia with a negative net position, about $82 million. Much of that comes from efforts to fix odor and other problems at the closed quarry landfill. The city had spent about $32 million on landfill projects, and future closure and compliance costs were expected to add about $79 million more. When council set the current rate in April 2025, Mayor Becky Nave said roughly 10% of the city budget was going to the landfill.
Then the reassessment arrived. Notices mailed in December 2024 showed values up an average of 52% citywide, in the first reassessment in four years. Residential values rose more, by an average of 66%. Commercial property rose less, so more of the city's tax base shifted onto houses. WJHL calculated that a 52% increase would require lowering the old $1.17 rate to about 77 cents just to bring in the same revenue. Council lowered the rate to 93 cents. WCYB reported that most property owners would still see higher bills.
That 93-cent rate continues into the fiscal year that started July 1, 2026. The FY2027 adopted budget sets real estate at $0.93 per $100 of assessed value. Cars, trucks, motorcycles and trailers are taxed at $2.60 per $100. Both rates are unchanged from FY2026. Some older city tax sheets online still list $1.17, so the adopted budget is the document to trust.
The same house on both sides of State Street
The headline rates look far apart, $0.93 in Virginia against more than $3.45 combined in Tennessee. They measure different things. Bristol, Virginia bases real estate tax on 100% of fair market value. Tennessee taxes residential property on 25% of appraised value. On the Tennessee side, a homeowner inside city limits pays Bristol, Tennessee's FY2027 rate of $1.845 per $100 of assessed value, which council kept unchanged on June 16, 2026. They also pay Sullivan County's combined FY2027 rate of $1.6129, adopted in the budget approved July 30, 2026.
Here is how those rates apply to a home valued at $250,000 on each side, assuming the assessed value matches that figure:
| FY2027 | Bristol, Virginia | Bristol, Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Share of value taxed | 100% | 25% |
| Taxable amount | $250,000 | $62,500 |
| City rate per $100 | $0.93 | $1.845 |
| County rate per $100 | none, independent city | $1.6129 |
| Annual real estate tax | about $2,325 | about $2,161 |
| Effective rate on full value | 0.93% | about 0.86% |
| Annual tax on a vehicle assessed at $20,000 | $520 | not part of this comparison |
On real estate alone, the Virginia side costs roughly $160 more a year at this price. Each vehicle in the household adds to that, because Bristol, Virginia taxes cars at $2.60 per $100 of assessed value. A Tennessee bill also depends on which Sullivan County levies apply to a given parcel, so check an actual tax notice before relying on the county line in the table. The table answers one narrow question. With Virginia's lowered rate and Tennessee's 25% assessment ratio, the two bills come out close, and the Virginia one is slightly higher.
The dates that could change the math
The rates are set for this year, but the comparison won't hold forever. These upcoming events could change it:
- Sullivan County's next reappraisal is scheduled for 2027, according to the county assessor. New appraisals reset the Tennessee column, and both the county and city will set rates against the new values.
- Virginia reassesses every four years. The last Bristol cycle was completed in late 2024, so the next one should come around late 2028. The 93-cent rate will be reset against whatever values that cycle produces.
- The landfill bill keeps coming due. The roughly $79 million in expected closure and compliance costs reported in January 2026 is the largest known cost the city still faces.
- The casino split could come back up. Bristol officials said in January they would turn to legislators. Tamrya Spradlin became permanent city manager in March 2026. No change to the equal split has been reported since then.
For a buyer, the practical step is to compare the full annual tax on a specific house, plus vehicles, on both sides, rather than the rates printed in a listing. A seller on the Virginia side benefits from having that full-year number ready when Tennessee-side listings are the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bristol, Virginia get more casino money because it hosts Hard Rock? No. As of the latest reporting in September 2026, Bristol receives an equal share of the regional gaming tax pool along with 13 other localities. That works out to a little more than 7% each.
Did the 2025 rate cut lower Bristol, Virginia tax bills? The rate fell from $1.17 to $0.93 per $100, but WCYB reported that most owners would still pay more. The 2024 reassessment had raised residential values an average of 66%.
Is the Tennessee side always cheaper? Not necessarily. At FY2027 rates, the effective real estate tax on full value is about 0.86% in Bristol, Tennessee and 0.93% in Bristol, Virginia. Sullivan County's 2027 reappraisal and Virginia's next reassessment could change that gap. For tax decisions, confirm figures with the city or county treasurer or a tax professional.
If you're weighing a house on one side of State Street against one on the other, Mary Glenn Lively can work out the full yearly carrying cost for each, from tax notices to vehicle tax. Get your home's free valuation and schedule a no-obligation consult.
