Virginia Senate Leader Reintroduces Tysons Corner, Fairfax County Casino Bill

Virginia lawmakers are making another attempt at legalizing a casino in Fairfax County.

For the fourth straight year, state officials are pushing to bring a casino to the affluent area of Tysons Corner. That effort comes in spite of local opposition, as many business owners, county officials, and residents have voiced their opposition to potential projects.

The news comes just days after it was reported that the company that owns and operates the Las Vegas Sphere is looking to build a similar venue next to the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, just 25 minutes from Tysons.

A familiar proposal

The new bill, SB 756, was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34). He confirmed that it is identical to the one that Surovell presented during the 2025 legislative session, according to FFXnow.

If approved, the bill would add Fairfax County to the list of areas eligible to host Virginia’s sixth retail casino. The wording of the bill would also restrict it to Tysons Corner. 

A list of suggested locations, which did not include Fairfax County, was introduced on Tuesday and referred to the Committee on General Laws and Technology.

“The eligible host locality … shall be limited to a proposed site for a casino gaming establishment that is (i) located within one-quarter of a mile of an existing station on the Metro Silver Line, (ii) part of a coordinated mixed-use project development consisting of no less than 1.5 million square feet, (iii) within two miles of a regional enclosed mall containing not less than 1.5 million square feet of gross building area, and (iv) outside of the Interstate 495 Beltway.”

Surovell isn’t the only voice campaigning for a northern Virginia casino. Sen. David Marsden (D-35) tried and failed to get legislation approved in 2024, which inspired Surovell to pick up the effort in 2025. 

A long road ahead

One of the primary motivations behind the casino proposal is the tax money that it would generate, which goes even beyond the simple amount.

While Fairfax faces a $130 million budget deficit, a 2019 study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that a northern Virginia casino could generate $155 million in annual tax revenue for the state. Recent estimates suggest that the number could be twice as high.

Moreover, the casino would help keep Virginia residents from crossing over into Maryland to gamble at MGM National Harbor, which is just a 1.3-mile bridge away from the Virginia side of the Potomac River. 

“The casino element of the project is a major revenue driver, and if it does the same or greater business as MGM [National Harbor] — which projections say it would — it would generate over $300 million a year to Fairfax County, which is equivalent to about a 10 percent reduction in real estate taxes for county residents on a per-household basis,” Surovell said in an interview with FFXnow in November.

Despite that, many locals remain aren't on board. Increases in crime and traffic, as well as the chance of scaring many prominent businesses out of the area, have been cited as chief concerns. 

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors even voted in December to officially oppose any legislation to permit a casino in Fairfax that isn’t specifically requested by the Board. 

Any bill approved by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) would need to pass a voter referendum scheduled by the Board of Supervisors.