A bill that would allow a casino in the Tysons area of Fairfax County has passed the General Assembly and is headed to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk. This is the first time in four years that legislation to allow a Tysons casino has made it past the General Assembly.
The House of Delegates and Senate each passed SB 756 on Saturday, March 14. The bill would allow a casino in a 1.5-million-square-foot mixed-use development in Tysons. However, it’s contingent on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors allowing for a voter referendum and approval.
Several versions of the bill have been proposed during this legislative session. The House and Senate met in a conference committee on Saturday to finalize the language. The final version specifies that the location must be in the Tysons area rather than being allowed anywhere in Fairfax County.
It also removed a provision that would have allowed a “temporary casino” to operate for up to five years if approved by the Virginia Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission. Supervisor Walter Alcorn had objected to that clause prior to the passing of Saturday’s version of the bill.
Spanberger has not yet indicated whether she will sign the bill. In the past, she has shown willingness to approve a casino bill if the General Assembly created a state gaming commission. However, that was never passed, Washington Business Journal reported.
If Spanberger does sign the bill, county supervisors would have to approve a voter referendum. Chairman Jeff McKay, who opposes the bill, told WTOP recently that he did not plan to bring the matter to voters. “I am not going to subject my residents to vote on something that we know is a bad deal for them,” McKay said.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
