At the beginning of the year, we reported on Scott Surovell’s decision to introduce Senate Bill 982 (SB 982), aimed at giving the green light to a casino project in Tysons, Fairfax County.
The bill was referred to the Committee on General Laws and Technology.
According to a new survey, the public is not keen on supporting the Senate majority leader’s proposal to hold a referendum on building a casino in Northern Virginia.
On the contrary, the bill, which was co-sponsored by Sens. Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico), Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax), and Todd Pillion (R-Washington), is facing serious opposition.
Roughly 8 Out of 10 Tysons Residents Say No to Casino
The poll, conducted among 500 likely voters in Fairfax County, signaled widespread resistance to the project.
A majority of respondents, 64%, expressed opposition against having a casino in the round-the-clock city hub where people live, work, and enjoy leisure activities.
Opposition was even more substantial in the Tysons area, where 79% of local residents opposed the idea.
Residents raised key concerns about the impact on traffic and local businesses. More than 80% of voters countywide believe a casino would “significantly worsen traffic,” and over 60% of Tysons residents fear it would harm local businesses.
Legislators “Should Listen to the Desires of Their Constituents”
The Tysons Stakeholders Alliance’s president, Paula Martino, highlighted the poll’s results, saying that they were aware of the “significant opposition to the potential Tysons casino project.”
Martino argued the poll’s results “clearly” reflect the opposition while asking legislators to “take note of this and listen to the desires of their constituents.”
The head of the coalition made of local residents and businesses added that they “do not want this project” in Tysons.
The poll’s results also suggest possible political consequences for elected officials, with 65% of Tysons voters and 56% of voters across the county indicating they would be less likely to support a politician backing the casino project.
On the other hand, only a small percentage, 10% of county voters and 8% of Tysons voters, said they would be more likely to support a pro-casino official.
A second group, the “No Fairfax Casino Coalition,” also opposes the casino proposal.
Members of the coalition attended last week’s bill meetings, traveling on chartered buses to offer public comments. They express their plan to return when the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee resumes discussions.
Potential National Security Threat
The poll also revealed a few national security concerns. Last month, over 100 former CIA officers and other intelligence community veterans wrote a letter opposing the project, citing potential security risks.
According to the survey, approximately 60% of residents also believe that a casino could pose a national security threat.
The poll was commissioned by the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance and conducted by Guidant Polling & Strategy.
Addressing Potential Revenue Shortfalls
On the other hand, supporters argue that the project could help address a future revenue shortfall caused by the dropping property tax revenue, which is mainly triggered by large-scale office buildings in the area.
As work-from-home arrangements continue to impact office leasing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tysons and nearby McLean are anticipated to experience challenges with property tax revenue.
Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors, led by chair Jeff McKay, has made it clear that they are not in favor of the bill.
McKay insisted that SB 982 would primarily benefit Richmond’s budget, not Fairfax County’s, and pointed out that recent property tax increases have been high due to the state’s failure to adequately fund public education.
The Casino Would Be Built Next to the Corner Center
If SB982 passes through the General Assembly and is signed into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin (R), who has expressed reluctance to expand gambling in Virginia, the county would be allowed to accept bids for a casino project.
The proposal stipulates that the casino would be located within two miles of the Tysons Corner Center, known as one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S., right outside the Interstate 495 Beltway.
In addition to a casino and hotel, Surovell’s bill mandates that the development be integrated into a “coordinated mixed-use project” featuring a theater and a convention center.
The bill has already passed the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology last week and is now under review by the Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Last week, Virginia state lawmakers chose not to advance the state’s first attempt to legalize online casinos.
Senator Mamie Locke’s proposal for online gambling will be delayed until 2026 to allow more time for evaluating its economic impact.
The delay may provide a boost to those opposing the proposed casino in Tysons.