The failed effort earlier this 12 months to qualify Fairfax County as a doable location for a industrial on line casino could possibly be reignited subsequent 12 months within the Virginia Common Meeting.
An aerial view of Tysons reveals town’s many company buildings. Virginia State Sen. David Marsden is contemplating laws asking voters to approve a industrial on line casino resort within the Fairfax County space. (Picture: Fairfax County)
In January, state Sen. David Marsden (D-Burke) and Del. Wren Williams (R-Stuart) filed an identical payments that sought to convey Fairfax into the state’s gaming legislation handed in 2020. That aw licensed casinos in economically distraught cities and counties. On the time of the invoice’s passage, Fairfax didn’t meet the legislation’s situations, which included a area experiencing a inhabitants decline of at the least 20% between 1990 and 2016 and a minimal poverty charge of 20% in 2017.
Solely a handful of cities met the financial hardship necessities, together with Richmond, Norfolk, Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth. The 2020 legislation requires that casinos can solely be absolutely licensed with voter help by means of a neighborhood referendum. All however Richmond have since ratified their gaming alternatives.
Marsden believes a on line casino in Northern Virginia, the place the majority of the state’s inhabitants resides, would ship the state a significantly bigger tax profit and assist diversify the Fairfax economic system. Whereas he initially mentioned Reston can be a super spot for a on line casino resort, he now says Tysons — typically referred to as Tysons Nook — could be a greater match.
Tysons On line casino?
Tysons, together with close by McLean, Vienna, and Fairfax, is a significant enterprise hub in Northern Virginia the place many world firms are headquartered. Marsden thinks a on line casino resort, which might convey much-needed leisure to the realm, is sensible.
Talking with FFXnow, a neighborhood information outlet masking Fairfax County, Marsden mentioned Tysons is an “very best place” for such a resort.
[Tyson’s] is turning into Fairfax County’s downtown, and we need to find it on the Silver Line as a result of that’s what the Silver Line was constructed for,” the state senator advised FFXnow. “It wasn’t simply to usher in commuters from Loudoun County or to get individuals to the airport. It was designed additionally to permit for larger density improvement: high-rise residences and workplace buildings and what have you ever.”
Marsden has been approached by an actual property improvement agency referred to as Comstock, a Reston-based developer of economic, residential, retail, and mixed-use actual property. The agency’s notable industrial initiatives embody Reston Station, a greater than 250,000-square-foot mixed-use complicated with retail, eating places, and companies.
Comstock reportedly needs to redevelop former auto dealerships on Chain Bridge Highway. One improvement thought is a on line casino, ought to state lawmakers qualify Fairfax for gaming and native voters log out on the plan by means of a poll referendum.
Odds Presumably Lengthy
The urge for food for a on line casino resort in Fairfax County is presumably low, as many residents moved to the business-focused and largely residential county seeking a barely extra suburban life-style than dwelling in D.C. or its speedy surrounding cities. Greater than six in 10 residents are white, and the median annual family revenue is sort of $134K, making the county one of many wealthiest within the U.S.
Marsden and Williams’ Fairfax on line casino invoice was shortly withdrawn in January after Marsden fielded pushback and advised reporters it could be higher suited to consideration in 2024. Marsden mentioned this week he would possibly introduce a brand new Fairfax County on line casino invoice in January.
Comstock earlier this 12 months donated $10K to Marsden’s reelection marketing campaign. Marsden is the favourite to win reelection over his Republican challenger Mark Vafiades in November.
Marsden has held the Fairfax County seat since profitable the November 2009 election. Marsden beforehand served within the Home of Delegates.
