Article Text
Fairfax County voters could get the final say on a casino-anchored entertainment district in Tysons, but only if Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs legislation clearing the way for a referendum.
About 60 union workers rallied March 25 at 8546 Leesburg Pike, a vacant former auto dealership beside the Spring Hill Metro station. Organized by the We Are Fairfax Coalition, the event urged Spanberger to sign Senate Bill 756 by the April 13 deadline.
The push comes as Fairfax County works to close a projected $131.5 million gap in its fiscal 2027 budget while eliminating 107 county positions. Although the property tax rate is expected to remain unchanged, higher assessments mean the owner of an average county home would see a 3.99% increase in property taxes.
“The Board of Supervisors is quick to point out the issues with revenue streams … without offering an alternative,” said Emily VanDerhoff, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers. “Now, labor is presenting an alternative to raise revenues and support Fairfax’s working families and schools.”
Legislation Would Open the Door to a Referendum
Introduced by Sen. Scott Surovell, SB 756 passed the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates on March 14. The enabling legislation would give Fairfax County authority to hold a casino referendum that state law previously prohibited.
Even with the governor’s signature, the development would face several additional steps. The earliest possible referendum would be during the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. To place the question on that ballot, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors would likely have to petition the county Circuit Court by mid-August 2026.
Although rally speakers repeatedly described the proposal as an entertainment district and did not use the word “casino,” state law would require the ballot question to identify casino gaming directly.
The prescribed question would ask:
“Shall casino gaming be permitted at a casino gaming establishment in Fairfax County at 8546 Leesburg Pike as may be approved by the Virginia Lottery Board?”
Voters would then select “Yes” or “No.”
Unions Focus on Jobs and Wages
With Silver Line trains passing above the rally, speakers argued that the proposed district would bring jobs capable of supporting workers in one of Virginia’s most expensive communities.
Supporters estimate that construction would create about 2,000 union jobs, followed by approximately 3,000 permanent hospitality and service positions.
“Being a union member means having top pay, best-in-class training, employer-paid benefits, retirement and safe working conditions, things every worker should have the right to,” said Maria Zoraya Silva, a union electrician and Burke resident.
Fairfax County’s cost of living is roughly 42% above the national average and 36% above Virginia’s average. Rally organizers said many non-union hospitality and service employees must hold two or three jobs and still lack health insurance.
Fairfax County resident and union worker Hanan Ahmed framed SB 756 as a voting-rights measure rather than a casino bill. She said entertainment development could create better local employment and reduce the need for workers to endure long commutes for adequate wages.
“Fairfax County [is an] incredibly expensive place to live. My people commute more than one hour into D.C. because the wages in Fairfax don’t match the living,” Ahmed said.
Before joining the Marriott Marquis, Ahmed worked at a non-union hotel where she said management reduced employees’ hours. She left after 10 days because of what she described as terrible working conditions.
Nelson Aguilar, a Fairfax County resident for 25 years, said union employment could also create career paths for younger workers.
“The union gives us a voice on the job and protects our rights,” Aguilar said. “We have a unique opportunity to train the next generation of carpenters and show them the path to the middle class.”
Bill’s Requirements Point to the Tysons Property
SB 756 does not explicitly name the Spring Hill site, but its requirements sharply limit where a casino could be built. The legislation calls for a coordinated mixed-use development of at least 1.5 million square feet within a quarter-mile of a Silver Line station outside the Capital Beltway.
Those conditions effectively point to the 8546 Leesburg Pike property controlled by Comstock Holding Companies, though another location could potentially qualify.
The current concept represents a major change from “The View,” a 3-million-square-foot project proposed by Clemente Development in 2019. That plan centered on a 600-foot landmark tower, offices, luxury condominiums and a civic plaza envisioned as a “Rockefeller Center of Tysons.”
Christopher Clemente, Comstock’s CEO and the son of Clemente Development founder C. Daniel Clemente, has shifted the property’s focus toward an entertainment district anchored by a casino and a 6,000-seat concert venue.
Supporters argue that the change reflects the weakening commercial office market after the COVID-19 pandemic and could broaden Fairfax County’s tax base beyond residential property.
Casino Revenue Pitched as Budget Relief
An independent market analysis commissioned by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission estimated that a Fairfax casino could produce between $418 million and $618 million in annual gaming revenue.
Under the proposed 30%-70% division, the state would receive the larger share. Fairfax County’s portion would be designated for Fairfax County Public Schools, while part of the state revenue would go to the Virginia School Construction Fund for repairs to aging schools across Virginia.
Proponents contend that roughly 90% of the casino’s business would consist of money now being spent at casinos in Maryland and West Virginia. They describe the project as a source of non-residential revenue that could help address the county’s structural deficit and reduce pressure on homeowners.
VanDerhoff said the teachers union’s executive board endorsed the entertainment district after years of seeking full school funding.
“We’re hopeful that Governor Spanberger will sign this bill into law and give the people of Fairfax County a chance to decide if this project is right for our community,” she said.
Emebet Samuel Kassa, director of internal organizing at UNITE HERE Local 25, closed the rally by emphasizing the proposal’s potential effect on working families.
“As a resident of Fairfax, I am inspired by the opportunity the county has to approve this project that would transform Fairfax for thousands of families,” Kassa said.
The labor coalition supporting the proposal includes transit workers, electricians, elevator contractors, teachers, carpenters, painters, pipe trades, operating engineers, stage workers, sheet-metal workers, service employees, food and commercial workers, and other building and construction unions.