A bill that would open the door to allowing a casino in Fairfax County was approved by the Virginia House Appropriations Committee and will now head to the full Virginia House of Delegates for a vote.
The Appropriations Committee approved the measure on Friday with an 18-4 vote. In the committee vote, three of the four votes against the bill came from Fairfax County representatives: Paul Krizek (D-16), Kathy Tran (D-18), and Charniele Herring (D-4). Del. Marcia Price (D-85), of Newport News, was the fourth.
The bill, SB 756, could be voted on as early as this week, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Variations of the casino bill have been introduced in the state legislature for four years in a row, but this is the furthest it has progressed so far. It was first introduced by Sen. Dave Marsden in 2023 and has been sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell since 2025. Last year, it progressed past the State Senate but died in the House Appropriations Committee.
All variations of the bill have faced opposition with representatives and residents. A Change.org petition, which has been circulating for the last two years, has over 4,134 signatures opposing the casino in Tysons. The Reston Association and the group No NoVA Casino have been vocal about keeping the proposed casino out of the region.
Previous versions of the bill had included the provision that the casino must be located in Tysons, but that has since been removed. An earlier version of SB 756 also required that the future developer pay prevailing wages and required union-hiring contracts, and an increased licensing fee and tax rate. Those requirements were removed by the Appropriations Committee.
The bill still requires that the proposed casino will be built as a mixed-use development with at least 1.5 million square feet of space, and a conference center, hotel, or concert venue. The future casino developer must voluntarily build, fund, or dedicate land for at least one public safety facility in the area.
If passed, SB 756 would allow the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to vote to hold a public referendum, where voters will decide if a casino will be built in the county. The measure will expire on July 1, 2029, if a successful referendum has not been held.
Feature image, producer/stock.adobe.com
