McLEAN, Va. — With casinos popping up on Virginia's southern border, some lawmakers now want to explore whether wealthy northern Virginia should get in on the action.
Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, plans to reintroduce legislation that would allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum on building a casino. He introduced similar legislation last year that went nowhere. This year, however, his proposal includes much more than a casino and includes a convention center, concert hall, hotel and other amenities.
Marsden's preferred location is Tysons Corner, a suburb of the nation's capital, just a few miles from the Maryland border, and an affluent center already home to successful luxury malls and retail stores. While that area makes the most sense for Marsden, the legislation would allow the county to choose a location near any of the Silver Line subway stations, including Reston.
Putting a casino and entertainment on the Silver Line will be a boon for Dulles Airport, which got its own Silver Line station last year, Marsden said. It would also create union jobs and the union lobby is expected to join in, he added.
Fairfax County has been the state's economic engine for decades. But the country is facing a bottleneck in its commercial tax base as demand for office space has fallen after the pandemic. The province needs to be realistic about the need for change and the revenue potential that casino gambling could bring, Marsden said.
“I don't like the lottery. I don't like it. But we must be practical and not naive,” he said, adding that Virginia should not leave out the wealthiest region when it comes to gaming revenue.
The push for a casino in northern Virginia comes at a time when voters have been skeptical. Referendums for a Richmond casino and a Manassas Park slot parlor failed in November, with about 58 percent of voters in both cities saying no.
However, Marsden said Richmond's rejection of a casino creates an opportunity for Fairfax County to fill the void.
Casino opponents are unmoved. Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents the Reston area, said putting a casino along the Silver Line is a waste of the region's most valuable real estate.
It's the rare voters who tell him they want a casino in the county, Alcorn said. Simply allowing a referendum is also problematic, he said, because of the amount of money pro-casino interests can throw at a ballot measure.
“It's bad politics,” he said.
Casino supporters appear to be mounting a well-funded lobbying effort, he said. Company officials from Comstock, a developer with whom Marsden worked on the casino effort, have formed a political action committee, Building a Remarkable Virginia, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months.
Calls and emails to Comstock and the Political Action Committee seeking comment were not returned.
Casinos have been approved and opened in Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth after legislation authorizing them, subject to approval by local voters, authorized them in 2020. Voters in Norfolk also approved a casino, but the project is still going through the approval process.
A 2019 study commissioned by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee found that a casino in northern Virginia could generate $155 million in tax revenue annually, nearly double the expected revenue for a casino in Richmond .
Marsden's bill has support at the state and local level.
Scott Surovell, the new Senate Majority Leader, said it's frustrating that Maryland generates tax revenue to pay for its schools with casinos that rely heavily on Virginia for their customer base.
He acknowledged that opinions within the General Assembly are divided and that some oppose casinos, but said lawmakers have traditionally shown a willingness to pass bills that let local jurisdictions make the decision for themselves.
At the local level, several members of the county Board of Supervisors have expressed willingness to support a referendum.
Pat Herrity, the board's lone Republican, said legislation linking a casino to a much-needed convention center deserves real consideration. He said several developers have expressed interest in bidding for a project.
Dalia Palchik, who represents Tysons Corner, said no one has approached her about supporting a casino project in her district. But she said she loves the idea of bringing a convention center to Tysons, and is open to legislation that would allow citizen input through a referendum and the county's regular approval process.
“The devil is definitely in the details here,” she said.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay was noncommittal. He said there is nothing to take a position on as no legislation has been formally introduced yet.
However, that didn't stop Vienna's city council from issuing a resolution earlier this month making opposition to a casino a top priority. Council members said the city, which borders Tysons Corner, could experience negative traffic and other unintended consequences. One council member, Howard Springsteen, said casinos create “an unhealthy community.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office declined to comment on whether he would sign a casino bill.