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Fairfax County supervisors are urging state lawmakers to abandon efforts to bring a casino to Tysons after Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation that would have forced the county to hold a referendum.
“This has been a distraction — our residents have been traumatized,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said during the Board of Supervisors meeting April 14.
Spanberger vetoed the legislation April 9, citing opposition from county supervisors and many residents. The bill would have required the board to order a countywide vote on whether to authorize casino gaming.
In her veto message, Spanberger said local governing bodies should retain the lead role in proposed casino development, consistent with the process used previously. She warned that the Fairfax County bill could establish a precedent for imposing casino referendums on other communities whose governing boards oppose them.
Supporters had promoted a casino-centered entertainment complex proposed by potential developer Comstock Companies. They argued that the project would spur economic development and create jobs during construction and after opening.
The envisioned complex near the Spring Hill Metro station also included a convention or conference center.
Although supporters of SB 756 lack enough votes to override Spanberger’s veto, state Sen. Scott Surovell, a Democrat representing District 34, has indicated that he intends to revive the casino proposal during the 2027 General Assembly session. He has championed Fairfax casino legislation for two consecutive sessions.
County supervisors made clear that another attempt would face fierce resistance.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said it was time to move forward. While acknowledging Fairfax County’s need for a convention or conference center, she called for the county and state to pursue more creative approaches without relying on a casino.
Alcorn, Palchik, Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman and Board Chairman Jeff McKay have led the board’s opposition to Surovell’s proposal.
Bierman criticized the attempt to advance a casino despite resistance from local leaders and, according to some polling, residents near the proposed site. He called the process backward and said he hoped the legislation would not return.
Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer, the board’s newest member, does not represent the area around the potential casino site. However, she said she heard mostly negative views about the proposal while campaigning in a special election late last year.
Sizemore Heizer said the project will not become a reality unless supporters secure backing from Tysons-area residents and their elected representatives. She called for an end to the annual legislative battle.
With the casino proposal halted for now, Palchik and Alcorn said Fairfax County should refocus on wider challenges affecting its commercial and retail corridors.
“We have to face the real issues of our economic development,” Palchik said.