But she said she loves the idea of drawing a convention center to Tysons, and is open to legislation that would allow citizen input through a referendum and the regular county approval process. He said several developers have expressed interest in bidding on a project.ĭalia Palchik, who represents Tysons Corner, said nobody has approached her about supporting a casino project in her district. Pat Herrity, the board's lone Republican, said that legislation pairing a casino with a badly needed convention center merits real consideration. He acknowledged that views are divided in the General Assembly and some are opposed to casinos but said that traditionally lawmakers have shown willingness to pass bills that let local jurisdictions make the decision for themselves.Īt a local level, several members of the county board of supervisors expressed willingness to support a referendum. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said it's frustrating that Maryland generates tax revenue to pay for its schools with casinos that draw heavily on Virginia for their customer base.

Marsden's bill has support at the state and local level. Voters in Norfolk also approved a casino but the project is still going through the approval process.Ī study commissioned in 2019 by the the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee found that a northern Virginia casino could generate $155 million annually in tax revenue, nearly double the revenue projected for a Richmond casino.

Corporate officers with Comstock, a developer with whom Marsden has been working on the casino effort, have formed a political action committee, Building a Remarkable Virginia, that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months.Ĭalls and emails to Comstock and the political action committee seeking comment were not returned.Ĭasinos have been approved and opened in Danville, Bristol and Portsmouth after legislation authorizing them, subject to local voter approval, authorized them in 2020. Simply allowing a referendum is also problematic, he said, because the amount of money pro-casino interests can throw at a ballot measure.Ĭasino supporters appear to be mounting a well-financed lobbying effort, he said. It's the rare constituent who tells him they want a casino in the county, said Alcorn. Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents the Reston area, said putting a casino along the Silver Line is a waste of the region’s most valuable real estate.

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