Senate majority leader champions Tysons casino bill

The General Assembly has been a powerful ally for those who want to see a Tysons casino approved by referendum.

Scott Surovell, the majority leader of the state Senate (D-34) has introduced the bill for 2025 to add Fairfax County as a casino-eligible location in Virginia. This replaces Sen. Dave Marsden’s (D-35) legislation from 2023 and 2024.

Surovell told FFXnow that he has long been a supporter of a casino being permitted in Fairfax County.

He said via email that he has been a proponent of increased casino gaming in Virginia since MGM’s National Harbor Casino opened in 2016. “… I’d rather Virginians gamble in Virginia than Maryland or Prince George’s County, because Virginia’s public schools and Fairfax County’s can benefit.

Surovell’s version is virtually unchanged from Marsden’s bill, which was originally deferred until 2025 but then formally rejected by a committee in late 2017. The bill also includes restrictions as to where a casino in Fairfax County could be built, effectively limiting the area around Silver Line in Tysons.

The bill, if passed by the legislature, and signed by Governor, would allow, but not obligate, Fairfax County Supervisors to set up a referendum to ask voters if they want to authorize a new casino.

The bill does not specify a location or operator. However, at a Community Forum held last week, Comstock Companies confirmed that it is interested in developing an entertainment district and casino on the parcel it owns at 8546 Leesburg Pike close to the Spring Hill Metro Station.

According to a flyer that’s been circulating among state lawmakers, urging them to support Surovell’s Senate Bill 982, Comstock hopes to incorporate the casino into a 6- to 8-million-square-foot mixed-use development that would also feature a 6,000-seat performing arts venue, a 600-room hotel, a convention center, retail and shopping, and housing.

Comstock would be able to control the land surrounding the Metro station if a referendum were called. Other developers may also submit their own casino proposals, in competition with Comstock.

Surovell, echoing Marsden’s argument says that the casino-anchored entertainment center envisioned by Comstock will help Fairfax County to diversify its revenue sources and meet a need for an event venue capable of handling large conventions.

He told FFXnow that Fairfax County was larger than eight states, and could not handle large conventions. This project will increase tourism revenue and relieve pressure on Fairfax County homeowners, tenants and small businesses.

He also says that it would create many “well-paid” and “well-benefitted” union jobs during the construction and operation. Surovell’s bill does not include any requirements for the casino operator and developer to provide labor protections. However, union leaders who support a casino said that they had an agreement with Comstock.

The Board of Supervisors doesn’t have a collective position for or against Surovell’s bill. However, several members are opposed to it.

Walter Alcorn, Hunter Mill District Supervisor, said last week in a letter to his constituents that he was “all-in” on fighting any state legislation that would bring [a] casino to Tysons or anywhere else along the Silver Line.

Alcorn, a representative of Tysons said, “Tysons has been Fairfax County’s economic motor since 2010. A casino would upset and derail a long-term and ambitious community-consensus-driven development plan.” Once a casino is opened in the vicinity of a Silver Line Station, major employers will not be able to enter that area. Let’s kill this stupid idea by 2025.”

In a recent , Dranesville district supervisor Jimmy Bierman, , who represents McLean, Herndon, and other nearby areas, , claimed that the new proposed legislation was “actually worse” than the previous versions.

He said that the bill would further restrict the County’s land use authority to benefit a developer who has failed to deliver on past promises.

Surovell’s bill is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology , which will meet on Wednesday morning (Jan. 15, 11am).

After Richmond voters rejected a casino referendum in 2021 and again in 2023, legislation was signed into law by Gov. After Richmond voters rejected casino referendums in 2021, and again in 2030, Gov. signed legislation to remove the capital city . Glenn Youngkin was elected last year.

Youngkin has not yet confirmed whether he will sign the Fairfax County Casino Bill if it passes. Surovell claims he hasn’t discussed the matter with the Governor, but Youngkin brought up the subject in his “State of the Commonwealth” address before the General Assembly on Monday morning.

Youngkin stated, “Let us focus our efforts on building an international regulatory body this session and not one-off legislation pushed by special interests groups.”

Surovell said he also supports the governor’s support for establishing a Virginia Gaming Commission. Del. Paul Krizek, a Fairfax County legislator (D-16), has proposed establishing an independent commission to regulate all legalized gambling in the state.

Email Fairfax County Supervisors At:
Jeff McKay → chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Kathy Smith (Sully District) sully@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Rachna Heizer (Braddock District) braddock@fairfaxcounty.gov,
James Bierman (Dranesville District) dranesville@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Rodney Lusk (Franconia District) franconia@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Walter Alcorn (Hunter Mill District) huntermill@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Andres Jimenez (Mason District) mason@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Daniel Storck (Mount Vernon District)  mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Dalia Palchik (Providence District)  providence@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Pat Herrity (Springfield District) springfield@fairfaxcounty.gov,

 

To Contact Fairfax School Board Members:
All Members - FairfaxCountySchoolBoard@fcps.edu,
Tom Dannan - tfdannan@fcps.edu, 
Robyn Lady - ralady1@fcps.edu,
Marcia St. John-Cunning -  mstjohncunni@fcps.edu,
Melanie Meren - HunterMillStaff@fcps.edu,
Ricardy Anderson - randerson@fcps.edu,
Mateo Dunne - mdunne@fcps.edu,
Karl Frisch - kfrisch@fcps.edu,
Sandy Anderson - sanderson@fcps.edu,
Seema Dixit - sdixit@fcps.edu,
Kyle McDaniel - kmcdaniel@fcps.edu,
Ryan McElveen - rlmcelveen@fcps.edu,
Ilryong Moon - imoon@fcps.edu,