The organized opposition had made it clear that any casino plan will face a difficult road
Northern Virginia’s long-running casino debate is heating up again, and this time the pushback is growing louder. Fairfax County has been floated for several years as a possible site for a commercial casino, backed mainly by state Sen. David Marsden, who argues the region needs fresh revenue sources. The idea has never gained strong momentum in Richmond, but residents are making sure lawmakers know the resistance remains firm.
Several community groups have organized to stop any move toward a casino in Fairfax County. Coalitions such as the Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition, the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance, and No Fairfax Casino appeared at the Fairfax County Government Center this week. Their goal was clear: urge county leaders to take a stronger public stand against casino legislation during discussions on 2026 legislative priorities.
Speakers from the groups said the board’s past comments about the issue were too mild. They pressed for a direct rejection of any effort to authorize a casino, especially in Tysons, the area most often mentioned in discussions. Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert told supervisors that local energy should be spent on issues that bring broad community benefit, not on a proposal that many residents find troubling.
Last year the Board of Supervisors explained that, because Virginia follows the Dillon Rule, counties have limited authority and typically avoid weighing in on state-level legislation. Still, after significant backlash, the board sent a letter to lawmakers outlining concerns about how the casino concept had taken shape. Board Chair Jeff McKay wrote that Fairfax County was never involved in shaping the proposal and that the lack of community outreach only fueled frustration.
McKay also warned that any future referendum would likely face strong rejection because residents had not been consulted early in the process. Unlike other Virginia cities that sought casino approval, Fairfax County did not request the opportunity to hold a local vote.
For now, no casino bill related to Fairfax County has been filed for the 2026 General Assembly session. Prefiling began on November 15, and the upcoming session will run 60 days, starting January 14.
