Fairfax County Casino Bill's Fate Decided By Gov. Spanberger

Updated at 5:30 p.m.

RICHMOND, VA — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) on Thursday vetoed Senate Bill 756, blocking legislation that would have allowed Fairfax County leaders to consider whether to put a casino referendum before voters.

“Local governing boards should lead on proposed casino development, as has happened in every locality that now has a casino,” Spanberger said. “But in Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors has explicitly opposed this legislation, and an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly members who represent Fairfax voted against it.”

In vetoing the bill, the governor said it would set a precedent against local decision-making on gambling. She also added that a statewide independent commission was needed to regulate gambling in Virginia.

The measure was approved by the Virginia General Assembly on March 14 and centered on a possible site along the Silver Line, an issue that drew sharp reaction in Reston, Tysons and other nearby communities.

"Our community has been united in opposition of this casino legislation for years, spending countless hours organizing," said state Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Reston). "Northern Fairfax County and the Tyson’s region have been carefully planned with community engagement and through that careful planning is a major economic engine for the entire Commonwealth."

As news broke about the veto, Supervisor Jimmie Berman (D-Dranseville), the most vocal opponent of the casino on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, applauded the governor for vetoing "the wrong-headed, ill-conceived, unwanted, and corrupt casino bill."

"I'm so glad that Governor Spanberger has ended this distraction and that we can get back to real issues facing Virginians and the people of Fairfax County, lowering costs, expanding opportunity, tackling housing affordability, improving education, and promoting public safety,"
Bierman said, in a statement sent to constituents. "This plan to enrich casino developers has absolutely nothing to do with any of that, as Governor Spanberger knows, and today is a good day for hardworking families in Fairfax County."

Scroll Down To View Supervisor Jimmie Bierman's Full Statement

“On behalf of all residents of the Hunter Mill District, I want to thank Governor Spanberger for vetoing this bad bill," said Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill), whose district includes portions of Tysons.

"We never wanted it and we never asked for it. Just having this in statute would chase away real economic development opportunities for Tysons, which is already the 12th largest business district in the country," Alcorn said. "Tysons’ future is now brighter than it was yesterday thanks to Governor Spanberger.”

Reston-based developer Comstock Holding Companies has spent more than $3.5 million on lobbyists and political contributions to push its casino legislation through the General Assembly. During the last two legislative sessions, the company advanced the bill as a small portion of a larger entertainment district. Supporters described the measure as a chance to bring new tax revenue and economic development to Fairfax County.

Comstock's proposal generated significant opposition from citizen activists from across the county.

“Governor Spanberger made the right decision,” the No Fairfax Casino group said in a statement Thursday. “Claims that a casino would solve vacancy or economic problems in Tysons were not supported by independent analysis, and the bill advanced without the rigorous review this kind of proposal requires.”

Spanberger's veto upholds sound governance and public trust, according to Lynne Mulston, chair of the coalition’s steering committee.

“This was a special carveout for one locality, and Governor Spanberger rejected it,” she said. “That decision respects local concerns and recognizes the need for transparent, evidence-based policy.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, who was the chief patron of SB756 during the last two legislative sessions, responded to the bill's veto on social media.

"I am deeply disappointed by Governor Spanberger's veto of SB756," he said. "This bill was Northern Virginia Labor's number one legislative priority — supported by every major building trades union in the region — and it carried the endorsement of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Critically, it earned genuine bipartisan support, passing the Virginia Senate 25-13 and the House of Delegates 55-41 with votes from both Democrats and Republicans who recognized the enormous economic opportunity this legislation represented for Northern Virginia and for the Commonwealth."

The Northern Virginia Chamber and Thompson Restaurants, a minority-owned hospitality business based in Reston, also backed Comstock and the casino legislation.

Labor leaders emphasized the economic impact the proposed entertainment district/casino project would have for workers in a county where the cost of living is 42 percent higher than the national average.

"The Northern Virginia labor movement is extremely disappointed that we will not be allowed to vote on this project, which would have brought needed revenue and lifted more than 5,000 families out of poverty through good union jobs," said Virginia Diamond, president of the Northern Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

"When labor unions and the Chamber of Commerce agree, when Democrats and Republicans vote together, that is a signal that something is right for Virginia," Surovell said. "The Governor vetoed a rare moment of consensus in favor of workers, businesses, and economic growth. I have worked on this legislation for four years. I will not stop. Northern Virginia workers and families deserve the economic opportunity that every other region of this Commonwealth already has access to. We will be back."

Opponents argued a casino near the Silver Line in Tysons could worsen traffic, change surrounding communities and bring social costs tied to gambling. A majority of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has come out in opposition to the project. The supervisors also voted to add language to the county's 2026 Legislative Program expressing opposition to any legislation that would pave the way for a casino to be built in Tysons.

Language in the bill made Tysons the only place in Fairfax County where a casino could be built, according to SB 756's summary:

"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."

Senate Bill 756

“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Spanberger and her leadership in standing with the people of Fairfax County. This veto reflects the will of our community who came together to oppose this unwanted casino development," said Paula Martino, president of the Tysons Shareholders Alliance. "It also reaffirms why the Governor won by such an overwhelming margin last year – voters chose her vision for putting affordability and economic security at the center of Virginia's future. This casino would have been a distraction from that critical agenda.

"This victory belongs to the local community which organized and put up a valiant fight to oppose this development. We're proud that our grassroots effort helped ensure that Tysons and Fairfax County remain focused on the thoughtful, sustainable growth that has made our region a destination that so many families and businesses are proud to call home."

Also See ...

• Union Rally Urges Governor To Sign Fairfax County Casino Bill
• Fairfax Leaders Urge Governor To Veto Tysons Casino Bill
• Revised Tysons Casino Bill Sent To Governor To Sign: Update

The bill did not by itself approve a casino project or pick a final site. Fairfax County officials would still have had to decide whether to advance the issue locally. With Spanberger's veto, that path is cut off through SB 756, ending the bill's route to a possible county referendum.

It's unclear whether Comstock and its allies will reintroduce the legislation during the 2027 legislation.