A coalition of homeowners associations and civic groups is pressing Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to veto legislation allowing a casino in Tysons.
“Residents are deeply concerned about the potential impacts on traffic congestion, public safety, neighborhood character and the well-being of families in surrounding communities. These concerns come from people who would live with the consequences of this decision every day,” said the letter, provided to FFXnow by the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance.
“Fairfax County is a thriving community built on strong neighborhoods, excellent schools and a high quality of life. A large-scale casino development would threaten these strengths and alter the character that residents and businesses value,” wrote Paula Martino, president of the alliance.
Other signatories included the presidents or chairs of the:
- Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition, Reston Community Association, McLean Citizens Association, Rotonda Community Unit Owners Association, Westwood Townhoumes Homeowners Association, Tysons Trace Homeowners Association, Westwood Village Condominium Association
- Ashgrove Plantation Community Association, Shouse Village Community Association, North East Vienna Citizens Association, Robin Glen Homeowners Association, Reserve Homeowners Association, Palladium Condominium Association
- Tollbrook Ridge Homeowners Association, Mantua Citizens’ Association, Miller Heights Neighborhood Association, Virginia Chase Homeowners Association, Lafayette Village Community Association and No Fairfax Casino Coalition
The push from opponents comes as supporters of the plan for an entertainment complex with casino adjacent to the Spring Hill Metro station also ramp up their efforts to sway Spanberger.
A coalition of labor organizations rallied at the site on Wednesday (March 25), touting the economic benefits and jobs that would be created through construction and operation of the facility.
In coming weeks, Spanberger will face one of her early tests as the commonwealth’s new governor in addressing the matter. Her options include signing the legislation patroned by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, vetoing it, or proposing revisions.
In addition to signing onto the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance’s letter, both the Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition and the McLean Citizens Association have submitted their own missives opposing the casino bill.
Sally Horn, chair of the Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition, wrote that a casino would “hurt local businesses and deter other businesses from locating in Tysons, thereby weakening Tysons’ economic vitality and jeopardizing its ability to contribute at current levels or even higher levels to the economic health of the commonwealth.”
Camille White-Partain, president of the McLean Citizens Association, asked for the proposal to be put on the back burner until Virginia establishes a statewide gaming commission and it’s fully operational:
“Creating a single, unified regulatory body will ensure clear authority, consistent standards and robust oversight to protect consumers and promote responsible gaming. Moving forward with expansion before these safeguards are in place risks inefficiencies and gaps that could undermine the integrity of the industry and public trust.”
Fairfax Del. Paul Krizek (D-16) introduced a bill during the General Assembly’s 2026 session that would’ve established a Virginia Gaming Commission to regulate all forms of gambling. The legislation easily passed the House of Delegates, but was continued to 2027 by the state Senate.
A Senate version of the bill, led by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13), was incorporated into another measure championed by Sen. Louise Lucas (D-18), who serves as president of the Senate and chairs its powerful finance committee. Delegating all oversight of gambling to the Virginia Lottery, Lucas’s bill failed to make it out of conference negotiations by the time legislators adjourned on March 14.
Also lobbying Spanberger on the proposed casino was the National Security Leaders for Fairfax, representing more than 100 former/retired members of the national-security community.
Its leadership expressed concerns about risks of a casino in Northern Virginia, with the possibility that problem gamblers who work in the area’s vast national security community could find themselves compromised by foreign actors.
“Successful recruitment of those entrusted with our most sensitive secrets can lead to the loss of those secrets and harm to our security and sources and methods,” leaders of that group wrote.
The Northern Virginia Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce also wrote to Spanberger, seeking a veto.
“This initiative risks undermining the vibrant business environment that has been carefully cultivated in this area and could have long-term negative consequences for our community,” Susana Marino, the organization’s board chair, wrote.
Surovell’s measure would set up the framework for a potential countywide referendum on whether to allow casino gaming.
Though neither a specific location nor an owner is referenced in the bill, Reston Station developer Comstock Companies has lobbied hard for its passage in the hopes of bringing an entertainment complex to a site it owns on Leesburg Pike, adjacent to the Spring Hill Metro station.
Current planning envisions a hotel, convention center, concert hall, housing and retail/dining options as well as a casino on the currently barren site.
Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have been critical of the casino component and vocal in their anger over state legislators running roughshod over local concerns. Depending on the final language of the bill if it’s signed, supervisors may have no choice but to petition the Fairfax County Circuit Court to hold a referendum once a casino operator is determined.
Spanberger has several more weeks to consider her course of action on the legislation. The deadline to amend or veto legislation is April 13, with the General Assembly reconvening April 22 to consider those actions.
The deadline for final action on 2026 legislation is May 25.
