New VA Casino Bill Draws Criticism From Fairfax Leaders

MCLEAN, VA — Sen. Scott Surovell made good on his pre-legislative session promise of reintroducing the Tysons casino referendum bill in the Virginia Senate, despite objections from residents of the McLean area and Fairfax County at large.

On Tuesday, Surovell (D-Mount Vernon), the speaker of the Virginia Senate, introduced Senate Bill 756, which was then referred to the Senate General Laws and Technology. The committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon.

"While the introduction of another casino bill by Senator Surovell does not come as a surprise, the greater McLean community expresses its disappointment, particularly given the clear opposition previously stated by the Fairfax Board of Supervisors," said Linda Walsh, former McLean Citizens Association president. "Unfortunately, local volunteers and legislators must spend time opposing the bill in Richmond, despite more urgent matters facing the states as a result of federal layoffs and budget cuts needing their attention."

The bill seeks to give the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors the authority to place a referendum on a ballot and let voters decide whether to build a casino in Tysons.

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

“This proposal represents the wrong kind of development for Tysons and ignores the voices of the people who live and work here," said Paula Martino, president of the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance. "Recent polling shows that 75 percent of Fairfax County residents oppose a casino development in Tysons, and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has stated its opposition as part of its 2026 Legislative Package. This legislation clearly sets a troubling precedent for legislators in Richmond to override local land-use decisions despite strong community opposition.

In December, the board of supervisors voted for the first time to include anti-casino language in the legislative program it sent to Richmond. In previous years, Chair Jeff McKay (D-At-Large) had written a letter to the legislative leaders listing the board's objections to the proposal.

Among their objections was that the board never sought for casino referendum authority. Also, previous versions of the bill mandated that the majority of tax revenue generated by a casino would go to Richmond, leaving Fairfax County responsible for casino-related costs, such infrastructure improvements, public facilities maintenance, and hiring extra public safety personnel.

“Fairfax County’s legislative position on a casino is clear. We oppose any bill to bring a casino to Tysons without the Board of Supervisors requesting it, as explicitly stated in our adopted state legislative program," said Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill), who is one of the board members who has opposed the casino project since the beginning. "Tysons is the economic engine of Fairfax County, and a casino would undermine the ambitious and award-winning Tysons Comprehensive Plan.”

Opponents also say language in the legislation subverts local land-use authority by clearly designating where the casino would be built, an option given to all previous localities seeking a casino. Tysons is the only location that matches the site described in the summary of SB756:

"Any proposed site for a casino gaming establishment considered by Fairfax County shall be (i) located within one-quarter of a mile of an existing station on the Metro Silver Line, (ii) part of a coordinated mixed-use project development consisting of no less than 1.5 million square feet, (iii) within two miles of a regional enclosed mall containing not less than 1.5 million square feet of gross building area, and (iv) outside of the Interstate 495 Beltway."

In addition, the board would not support casino legislation until a gaming commission was established to oversee all gaming in the state, with the exception of the Virginia Lottery.

Prior to the start of this legislative session, Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria) pre-filed HB271, which seeks the formation of a gaming commission. Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-Fredericksburg) introduced a similar bill in the Senate.

"Reston Citizens Association and the No Fairfax Casino Coalition are not surprised to see Senator Surovell push his agenda with yet another special purpose bill for a casino in Fairfax County," said RCA president Lynne Mulston. "We are prepared to continue our opposition through grassroots engagement while supporting Delegate Krizek's bill for a Virginia Gaming Commission."

Developer Continues Spending Money On Tysons Casino Effort

Comstock Holding Companies, the Reston-based developer that has been working since January 2023 to pass legislation to pave the way for a casino to be built in Tysons, has spent more than $2.5 million on lobbyists and political contributions in that effort.

On Jan. 13, Comstock Hospitality Holdings donated a total of $50,000 to 11 members of the Virginia General Assembly, according to campaign finance filings reported by the non-profit Virginia Public Access Project.

Comstock Hospitality Holdings 2026 - $50,000

$10,000 - Angela Williams Graves for Senate (D-Norfolk)
$5,000 - Karrie Delaney for Delegate (D-Centreville)
$5,000 - Timmy French for Senate (R-Woodstock)
$5,000 - Jackie Glass for Delegate (D-Norfolk)
$5,000 - Adele McClure for Delegate (D-Arlington)
$5,000 - Delores McQuinn for Delegate (D-Arlington)
$2,500 - Jason Ballard for Delegate (R-Pearisburg)
$2,500 - Mike Cherry for Delegate (R-Colonial Heights)
$2,500 - Keith Hodges for Delegate (R-Urbanna)
$2,500 - Marty Martinez for Delegate (D-Leesburg)
$2,500 - Will Morefield for Delegate (R-North Tazewell) *
$2,500 - Wendell Walker for Delegate (R-Lynchburg)

* Morefield is a member of the House ABC/Gaming Subcommittee, which Krizek chairs.

In 2025, Comstock CEO Christopher Daniel Clemente donated a total of $200,000 to Gov. Abigail Spanberger's (D) campaign.

In addition, Comstock Hospitality donated a total of $114,245 to Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi's (D) campaign, including a Dec. 29, 2025 donation of $25,000 to her inaugural committee.

Also See ...

• No Fairfax Casino Group Supports VA Gaming Commission
• Casino Opponents Applaud Divided Board's Opposition To Gaming Proposal
• $2.5M Spent By Tysons Casino Backer On Lobbyists, Donations
• Tysons Casino Bill Killed For 2025 VA Legislative Session

In 2025, 12 lobbyists were paid a total of $500,399.31 to help Comstock Hospitality Holdings to convince legislators to advance Surovell's casino referendum.

For the 2026 legislative session, Comstock Hospitality has listed three people as its representatives in Richmond. Kathy Neilsen was hired to handle community relations. Alexander M. Macaulay and David May of the lobbying firm Macaulay Satterlund & Sessa were retained to oversee "all matters concerning Comstock Hospitality Holdings," according to the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Council's website.

All lobbyists are required to register with the council and submit a disclosure of how much they were compensated. The deadline to file a disclosure is June 30, so the information about how much Macaulay and May were paid for the 2026 session won't be available until June 30, 2026.

However, both Macaulay and May reported receiving a combined $17,500 in compensation to act as Comstock Hospitality's lobbyists during last year's legislative session, according to their disclosures.