Spanberger Vetoes Fairfax County Casino Bill: Local Government Never Supported It, Single-Site Designation Drew Controversy
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger vetoed SB 756 on Thursday, October 22, legislation that would have allowed a casino resort in Fairfax County. The bill, championed by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, designated a former car dealership site on Leesburg Pike in Tysons, next to the Spring Hill Metro station, for a casino, with developer Comstock Companies behind it.
In her veto statement, Spanberger gave three reasons: first, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors never expressed support or interest in a casino — in fact it explicitly opposed one — and most state legislators representing the county voted no; 'the local governing body should lead on casino development proposals.' Second, the bill confined the casino to a single Comstock property; 'in no other circumstance has the General Assembly set specific specifications for a casino site — this effectively excluded local input and stifled local decision-making.' Third, Virginia's gaming industry has expanded rapidly since 2020, beyond the state government's regulatory capacity, and no new forms of gaming should be approved before a dedicated gaming regulatory commission is established.
For background, a 2020 state law allowed the five cities of Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond to build casinos subject to local referendums; after Richmond voters rejected the idea twice, the slot went to Petersburg, which passed it in November 2024. The Tysons casino plan drew opposition from local homeowner groups, civic organizations and a joint letter from more than 100 former CIA employees — the latter concerned that gambling addiction could threaten national security; polling shows nearly 80% of Fairfax County voters would vote no in a referendum. Surovell responded that he was 'deeply disappointed,' stressing the casino would bring thousands of construction and hospitality jobs and keep spending that flows to Maryland's MGM National Harbor, and vowed, 'We will be back.'
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 泰森斯天际线（弗吉尼亚州） / Tysons, Virginia skyline — BenjPHolm, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
