Union Rally Urges Governor To Sign Fairfax County Casino Bill

TYSONS, VA — A coalition of labor unions from Northern Virginia gathered Wednesday on a vacant lot near the Spring Hill Metro station to urge Gov. Abigail Spanberger to sign legislation that could pave the way for a massive entertainment district and casino in Tysons.

The rally focused on Senate Bill 756, which the Virginia General Assembly passed on March 14. If Spanberger signs the bill, it would grant the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors the authority to place a referendum on a future ballot. Voters would ultimately decide whether to allow a casino as part of a sprawling development project.

The event took place on land owned by Comstock Holding Companies, the Reston-based developer behind the proposal. Comstock has spent more than $3.5 million on political contributions and lobbying efforts to advance the legislation.

Proponents at the rally characterized the project not merely as a casino, but as a "completely transformative" entertainment district. Plans for the site include a luxury hotel, a convention center, a concert hall, and workforce housing.

Read Patch's reporting on Comstock Companies' plan to build a casino in Tysons at Silver Line Casino.

"There’s a lot of misinformation that basically has identified this whole project as just being one casino," said Virginia Diamond, president of the Northern Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. "It’s very important for people to know that this is an entire entertainment district, of which 5 percent would be a gaming floor inside a luxury hotel."

Labor leaders emphasized the economic impact for workers in a county where the cost of living is 42 percent higher than the national average. Kassa Emebet Samuel, the internal organizing director at UNITE HERE Local 25, said the project would create 2,000 union construction jobs and 3,000 permanent hospitality positions.

"Fairfax residents deserve to have good jobs with livable wages and reliable benefits that are close to home," Samuel said, noting that many local hospitality workers currently commute over an hour to Washington, D.C., to reach higher-paying union jobs.



Speakers at the rally, ranging from electricians to transit workers, argued that the project would allow residents to spend less time commuting and more time with their families.

"As a union electrician, I and most of my sister and brother electricians, have to travel to jobs outside of Fairfax, spending hours commuting and away from our families," said Maria Zoraya Silva, member of IBEW Local 26 and a 12-year resident of Burke. "Any job can be a good job with a union."

The Fairfax County Federation of Teachers also threw its support behind the bill. Emily VanDerhoff, the federation's president, argued the tax revenue generated by the district would help diversify the county’s budget and fund public schools.

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• Fairfax Leaders Urge Governor To Veto Tysons Casino Bill
• Unions, NoVA Chamber Still Strongly Support Tysons Casino Bill
• Revised Tysons Casino Bill Sent To Governor To Sign: Update

"Labor is presenting an alternative to raise revenues and support Fairfax’s working families and schools," VanDerhoff said. "We’re hopeful that Governor Spanberger will sign this bill into law and give the people of Fairfax County a chance to decide."

Union officials confirmed that project labor agreements have already been negotiated between the developer and labor attorneys, ensuring that both the construction and operational phases of the project would use union labor.

RELATED: Letter: Unions Urge Governor To Sign Tysons Casino Bill

While the bill has faced pushback from some community groups concerned about the social and traffic impacts of a casino, union leaders at the rally urged the governor to trust the democratic process.

"Together with one voice, we ask you: sign the bill," said Mike Via, member of Operating Engineers Local 99. "Stand with the workers and let’s get to work."