This article originally appeared here, at patch.com

RICHMOND, VA — Members of the Fairfax County delegation to the Virginia Senate disagreed on the need and benefits of a proposed casino in Tysons, which was approved Tuesday on a 24 to 16 vote. The legislation now moves to the House of Delegates for consideration.

If both houses of the Virginia General Assembly approve the bill and it is signed by the governor, Senate Bill 982 would give the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors the power to put a referendum on a ballot for residents to decide whether to build a casino in Tysons.

Comstock Holding Companies, a Reston-based developer, has spent more than $1.5 million since 2023 to pass legislation allowing a casino to be built on Metro’s Silver Line outside the Capital Beltway in Virginia.

“A Fairfax casino would generate $1.8 billion for the state if it did pretty much just as well as the MGM Casino across the river, which most people think it would,” said Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon), the bill’s chief patron told the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations on Jan. 28. “What’s important is the state-level impact and for this committee. All the local stuff, the money that it would bring to Fairfax, the benefits it would bring to Fairfax, the tax relief it would bring to Fairfax is a different issue. The board of supervisors can consider that.”

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors did not ask for the authority to put a referendum on a future ballot and has not publicly spoken in support of it either.

On Jan. 27, board Chair Jeff McKay sent a letter to leaders of both houses in the Virginia General Assembly restating the board’s position that it did not support the language in the bill in its current form.

“Some proponents of this legislation have sought to link the proceeds of a potential casino to real estate taxes,” McKay said. “I want to be clear that the largest driver of increases in real estate taxes is the more than half-billion-dollar deficit in state funding for K-12 education in Fairfax County. If the state fully funded its obligations to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the County would receive an additional $568.7 million, allowing us to lower the FY 2025 real estate tax rate by 17.5 cents. This would in turn save homeowners an average of $1,300 on their tax bill.”

During the discussion on Tuesday, Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon) questioned Surovell about whether the specific language in the bill would mean that the board of supervisors would only be able to consider one developer.

In response, Surovell said he knew of one other area that fits the criteria specified by the bill, mentioning the performance space where the Cirque du Soleil has set up a tent. That property is owned by Tysons II Land Co. LLC, which is an entity of Lerner Enterprises.

Surovell later clarified his remark to say that technically, all of Tysons would meet the bill’s criteria.

Shortly after the vote, Sen. Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax City), who represents the proposed site of the casino, issued the following statement:

“Today, the Senate voted in favor of SB982, which would allow Fairfax County to seek authorization for a casino in Tysons. Since joining the Senate last year, I have consistently voiced my opposition to this proposal for several reasons and voted against the legislation on the floor.

First, unlike previous casino authorization bills passed by the General Assembly, this proposal was not initiated by Fairfax County. In fact, in a recent letter, the Chair of the Board of Supervisors confirmed that the county has not sought this authority and is unlikely to proceed with a referendum due to significant community opposition.

Second, this bill differs from past legislation by de-facto specifying a predetermined site and developer, bypassing local land-use control and eliminating a competitive bidding process. This approach sets a concerning precedent, as it allows a single developer to advance a casino project with minimal local support, primarily through significant campaign contributions and lobbying efforts at the state level.

As the State Senator representing the proposed casino site, I cannot overstate the overwhelming opposition from my constituents. Over just the past two weeks, my office has received approximately 1,300 emails and calls on this issue— less than 0.008% of which were in support. Independent polling reflects similar opposition, with a strong majority of Fairfax County residents against the project, including around 80% of Tysons-area residents. This is not a vocal minority; it is a clear majority expressing concern.

I urge the House to reject this bill so we can focus on legislative priorities that truly serve our constituents.”

Paula Martino, president of the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance, also submitted a statement following Tuesday’s vote.

“This Tysons casino legislation continues to be rammed down the throats of Fairfax County and Tysons area residents and we don’t want it. Not one elected official representing Tysons has asked for this casino. County officials did not ask for this casino. Not a single state legislator representing Tysons has asked for this casino.

“Sen. Surovell admitted at his town hall this weekend, that all his data he has been using to lobby for the Tysons casino is not from some state analysis but from the actual casino developer. He then went on to attack a Fairfax County resident for questioning him. He is in the pockets of developers who bankrolled his campaign coffers. Prioritizing the casino operator over his constituents.

“The polling we released last week of Fairfax County voters shows that every single region and corner of Fairfax County opposes a casino in Tysons. It is time for our elected officials to decide – do they represent their constituents or the greedy casino developer?”

On Jan. 28, the finance and appropriations recommended SB982 on a (38-Y 0-N) vote. The legislation was read for a third time and passed over for the day on Monday.

Lawmakers in both houses have until the end of Tuesday to finalize legislation before crossover, which is when each house considers the other’s legislation before a final vote of the full legislature. The last day to act on budget and revenue bills is Wednesday, Feb. 12. The 2025 general assembly session is scheduled to adjourn on Saturday, Feb. 22.