A proposal that could authorize a land-based casino in Fairfax County, Virginia moved closer to a full Senate vote this week after the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee advanced Senate Bill 756 on a 10–5 vote—while stripping language that effectively limited any future project to Tysons.
The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), who argued the state is losing gaming spend to MGM National Harbor in Maryland and estimated a Fairfax casino could generate roughly US$2 billion per decade for statewide school construction and more than US$100 million for Fairfax County.
From an operator-financial standpoint, removing mandated site criteria expands development optionality but also shifts risk to politics and land use: even if SB 756 clears the legislature, Fairfax would still need a local referendum scheduled by the Board of Supervisors, and any selected project would face standard zoning and permitting review.
The amendment—described by committee staff as removing the “mandated location”—eliminates prior conditions tied to proximity to a Metro Silver Line station, minimum 1.5 million sq ft mixed-use development, and distance constraints linked to a major enclosed mall and the I-495 Beltway.
Support and opposition are consolidating around competing fiscal narratives. Fairfax leaders have questioned whether the statutory tax split would deliver the “windfall” described by proponents, arguing the Commonwealth would capture a disproportionate share. Community groups, including the Tysons Stakeholder Alliance (President Paula Martino) and the No Fairfax Casino Coalition (Chair Lynne Mulston), say the change does not alter their stance.
Meanwhile, pro-development voices point to job creation and broader “entertainment district” economics. Virginia Diamond, president of the Northern Virginia Labor Federation (AFL-CIO), has backed the referendum concept, while reporting notes Comstock Companies has promoted a Spring Hill Metro-area casino-led district and has spent more than US$2.5 million on lobbying and political contributions tied to the effort.
