A bill that could bring a casino to Fairfax County has advanced in the Virginia State Senate. The legislation, known as Senate Bill 982, successfully passed through the Senate Finance Committee and is now set for a full Senate vote later in the General Assembly session. If enacted, the bill would authorize Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors to place a casino referendum on this year’s election ballot, allowing county residents to decide whether to approve the project.

Sen. Scott Surovell, the bill’s chief sponsor, expressed satisfaction with its progress. “I am pleased my colleagues voted to advance Senate Bill 982 out of the Senate Finance Committee, where it died in the 2024 Regular Session,” Surovell stated according to Virginia Business. He emphasized that many concerns previously raised about the project had been addressed by a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) report on casino gaming in Virginia. He also pointed to the potential for significant revenue generation, particularly for school infrastructure funding.

Surovell highlighted that most of Fairfax County’s General Assembly delegation supports granting the county’s government the ability to let voters determine the project’s future. He underscored that alternative revenue solutions to maintain the region’s high-quality public schools are limited, aside from increasing real estate taxes. “Virginia residents are already sending billions of dollars per decade to Maryland in the Northern Virginia region by patronizing the MGM National Harbor Casino just over the Maryland state line. It is time to bring that money back to benefit our state and Fairfax County,” he added, noting that the proposed development could also provide a convention center, performing arts venue, and thousands of union jobs.

The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee by a bipartisan 9-6 vote, setting the stage for further debate in the full Senate.

Opposition and Concerns

Despite its advancement, the proposal has faced notable opposition. A coalition of former defense and intelligence officials, known as National Security Leaders for Fairfax, raised concerns about the proximity of a potential casino to the CIA headquarters and government contractors with high-level security clearances. The group warned of potential national security risks and has urged state and county officials to reconsider the project.

Additionally, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has not endorsed the bill’s current language. Chair Jeff McKay pointed out that the county’s primary fiscal challenge stems from a deficit in state funding for K-12 education rather than the absence of casino revenue. “If the state fully funded its obligations to Fairfax County Public Schools, the County would receive an additional $568.7 million, allowing us to lower the FY 2025 real estate tax rate by 17.5 cents,” McKay wrote in a letter to state legislators.

Local legislators such as Sens. Jennifer Boysko and Barbara Favola have also voiced opposition. Boysko stressed that Fairfax County had not requested the casino proposal, while Favola argued that expanding casino locations beyond the five already approved cities—Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Petersburg, and Portsmouth—could lead to increased casino expansion requests across the state.

Public Reaction and Lobbying Efforts

Public resistance to the casino remains strong, particularly among Fairfax County residents. The No Fairfax Casino Coalition has repeatedly traveled to Richmond to voice objections, emphasizing that the community does not support the project. Paula Martino, president of the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance, reinforced this sentiment, stating, “We are shocked and dismayed that this bill continues to move given that the community is overwhelmingly opposed to the casino.” She added that the Alliance’s polling data indicated widespread disapproval among voters countywide.

Meanwhile, Comstock Holding Companies, a Reston-based developer, has been a key proponent of the project. The company has spent over $1.5 million since 2023 lobbying for casino authorization, envisioning the establishment of an entertainment district anchored by a casino along Metro’s Silver Line outside the Capital Beltway.

Campaign finance records also reveal that Comstock Hospitality Holdings contributed a total of $140,000 in political donations, distributing funds to both Democratic and Republican caucuses in the Virginia General Assembly as well as to 25 state delegates.

As SB 982 moves to the full Senate for consideration, debates over its potential economic benefits versus local opposition and security concerns will continue. The final decision could ultimately rest in the hands of Fairfax County voters if the measure clears all legislative hurdles.