In northern Virginia, where some fancy casinos are showing up near the southern border, a few government folks are thinking about whether rich folks in the north should have some fun too.
State Senator David Marsden from Fairfax wants to suggest a new law that lets Fairfax County decide if they want a casino. He tried this idea last year, but it didn’t go anywhere. This time, he’s thinking bigger and wants more than just a casino – he’s talking about adding a convention center, concert hall, hotel, and other cool stuff.
Marsden really likes the idea of putting the casino in Tysons Corner, which is close to Washington, D.C., not far from Maryland, and already has fancy shopping spots. But, in the new law, Fairfax County can choose a spot near any of the Silver Line Metro stations, including Reston.
Having a casino near the Silver Line would be great for Dulles Airport, which just got its own Silver Line station last year, according to Marsden. He also thinks it would create jobs, and the workers’ group is expected to support the idea.
Fairfax County has been the big money hub in the state for a long time. But, since fewer people need office space after the pandemic, the county is not making as much money from business taxes. Marsden says they need to be realistic about the situation and think about how having a casino could bring in more money.
“I don’t really like the lottery or any of that stuff. But we have to be realistic, not just ignore the situation,” he said, explaining that Virginia shouldn’t exclude its richest area when it comes to making money from gaming.
The idea of having a casino in northern Virginia is coming up when people are unsure about it. In November, voters said no to having a casino in Richmond and a slots place in Manassas Park, with about 58 percent saying no in both cities.
However, Marsden thinks that since Richmond said no to a casino, Fairfax County has a chance to step in and make up for it.
But people who don’t like the idea of a casino are not changing their minds. Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who looks after the Reston area, thinks putting a casino along the Silver Line is a bad use of the region’s most valuable land.
According to Alcorn, not many people in the area actually want a casino in the county. He thinks just letting people vote on it is also a problem because the pro-casino side can spend a lot of money on the vote.
According to Alcorn, not many people in the area actually want a casino in the county. He thinks just letting people vote on it is also a problem because the pro-casino side can spend a lot of money on the vote.
“It’s not a good idea in politics,” he said.
Alcorn believes that those who support the casino are spending a lot of money on trying to convince people. The people in charge at Comstock, a company working with Marsden on the casino idea, have even created a group called “Building a Remarkable Virginia” to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few months. I tried to contact them for a comment, but they didn’t respond to calls and emails.
Casinos got the green light and opened up in Danville, Bristol, and Portsmouth after a law said they could happen, but people in each city had to vote and say it’s okay back in 2020. Norfolk also said yes to a casino, but they’re still figuring out if it’s a good idea.
A study from 2019, done by a group called the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, said a casino in northern Virginia could bring in about $155 million in taxes every year. That’s almost double what they thought a Richmond casino would make.
Marsden’s idea for a law is getting support from people in the state and in the local area. Scott Surovell, who’s going to be the Senate Majority Leader, thinks it’s annoying that Maryland makes money for its schools from casinos that get a lot of customers from Virginia. Some people in the government don’t all agree, but Surovell says usually they’re okay with passing laws that let local places decide for themselves. Locally, some people on the county board of supervisors are open to having a vote on it.
Pat Herrity, who’s the only Republican on the board, thinks the idea of combining a casino with a convention center is worth thinking about. He says some developers are interested in taking on a project like that.
Dalia Palchik, who looks after Tysons Corner, hasn’t heard from anyone asking for support on a casino in her area. But she likes the thought of having a convention center in Tysons and is okay with a law that lets people have a say through a vote and the regular county approval process.
“Definitely the devil is in the details with this one,” she said.
Jeff McKay, who’s in charge of the board, didn’t take a side. He said there’s nothing to decide on yet because no law has been officially introduced. But even without that, the Vienna Town Council has already said they’re against a casino. They worry about more traffic and other problems. One councilman, Howard Springsteen, thinks casinos bring in a “not-so-great community.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office declined comment on whether he would sign a casino bill.
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