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A proposal that could clear the way for a casino referendum in Fairfax County dominated a Feb. 1 Mount Vernon town hall, prompting heated exchanges and a warning from Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell that he might end the meeting if heckling continued.
Surovell, a Democrat representing Virginia’s 34th Senate District, defended Senate Bill 982 before an audience that included numerous opponents wearing red “NO FAIRFAX CASINO” shirts. The Senate passed the legislation 24-16 on Feb. 4, sending it to the House of Delegates for consideration after the General Assembly’s crossover deadline.
Democratic delegates Mark Sickles and Paul Krizek also participated in the nearly two-hour event, which addressed numerous Fairfax County and Mount Vernon concerns. None generated as much public intensity as the casino proposal.
The legislation would not directly approve a casino. If it passes both chambers and receives the governor’s signature, it would allow the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to place a referendum before county voters. The proposal’s requirements point to Tysons as the potential location.
Surovell emphasized that distinction as opposition mounted.
“This is not a vote for a casino,” he said. “It’s a vote for a referendum.”
He argued that voters should ultimately decide whether Fairfax County becomes eligible to host one.
Revenue projections draw scrutiny
Surovell said the casino promoted by an interested developer would occupy only about 5% of a larger Tysons entertainment development. He presented the project as one possible way to diversify county revenue and reduce reliance on real estate taxes, which he described as the highest imposed by any Virginia county.
The senator said Northern Virginia is losing millions of dollars to the MGM casino across the Potomac River in National Harbor, Maryland. He contended that a Tysons entertainment district could generate $200 million annually in net revenue for Fairfax County, potentially supporting schools and easing tax pressure on homeowners and renters.
Opponents have questioned the revenue estimates and called for a more comprehensive analysis of the local effects.
A 2019 study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission projected that a Northern Virginia casino could raise statewide gaming tax revenue by another $155 million, an increase of 59%, while supporting 3,200 additional jobs. The study also estimated that such a casino could retain about $100 million that Virginia residents were spending at casinos in other states while attracting substantial business from out-of-state customers.
The No Fairfax Casino Coalition argued in a Jan. 27 email to legislators that the 2019 statewide study cannot replace a detailed assessment focused specifically on Fairfax County. The organization urged lawmakers to reject the casino bill and support legislation creating a consolidated state gaming regulator.
In a subsequent news release, the coalition said the proposed eligibility requirements target properties along Route 7 in Tysons reportedly controlled by developer Christopher Clemente, a principal of Comstock Holdings and managing director and principal of Comstock Partners.
Gaming commission sought first
Krizek, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Gaming, raised concerns about advancing the casino measure before Virginia establishes a Gaming Commission.
His House Bill 2498 would create an independent commission outside the legislative, executive and judicial branches. It would oversee legal gambling throughout Virginia except for the state lottery.
The legislation establishes qualifications for commissioners and board members, defines their authority and responsibilities, transfers employees from relevant state agencies and makes numerous technical changes.
The casino debate follows Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s decision to sign legislation removing Richmond from Virginia’s list of eligible casino host cities after voters there rejected a casino referendum for the second time in November 2023. Attention then shifted to Fairfax County and the possibility of a Tysons location.
Democrats held narrow majorities in both General Assembly chambers in 2025, with a 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates and a 21-19 edge in the Senate. After clearing the Senate at crossover, the casino proposal faced its next test in the House.