A proposed casino in Tysons has advanced significantly after receiving approval from the Virginia General Assembly, despite considerable opposition from local officials.
On Saturday, the Assembly passed Senate Bill 756, paving the way for a potential casino in Tysons Corner. This legislative success followed a three-year lobbying effort costing $3.5 million by Comstock Holding Companies, the developer behind the project. The bill is now awaiting the signature of Governor Abigail Spanberger, which would trigger a referendum allowing residents to vote on the matter.
The casino proposal has been in development for several years, spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, a Democrat representing Fairfax. This marks the third consecutive session in which the proposal has been considered by the legislature.
Comstock Holding Companies, based in Reston, has consistently supported the project, presenting a detailed vision for Tysons and the financial resources to realize it.
The developers envision an expansive 11.5-million-square-foot mixed-use complex that would feature a casino, a convention center, and an entertainment district, situated near the Silver Line Metro station just outside the Beltway.
Financial disclosures to the Virginia Department of Elections reveal that Comstock and its affiliates have invested over $3.5 million in lobbying and political contributions since 2023 to promote the casino legislation.
During the 2026 legislative session, ten lobbyists registered on behalf of the firm with the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Council. CEO Christopher Clemente's company also unveiled conceptual designs for the development last year.
Surovell is among the lawmakers who have received significant funding from Comstock, with a total of $204,566 in direct contributions since September 2024, alongside $120,000 from the firm's political action committee, 'Building a Remarkable Virginia', according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
This makes Comstock one of his largest campaign donors. Surovell has stated that his support for the casino initiative is rooted in his longstanding advocacy for gambling, a stance he has held since joining the General Assembly in 2010.
The bill passed both chambers of the Assembly on Saturday, with a vote of 25-13 in the Senate and 55-41 in the House, after a conference committee review. However, the final votes do not reflect the contentious path the bill took in its last hours, which has left local officials outraged.
In a last-minute amendment, legislators introduced a substitute bill late Friday night that significantly altered the casino proposal, alarming Fairfax officials more than any other development in recent years. This amendment deviated from Virginia's standard casino approval process.
The revised bill permits a temporary casino in Tysons to operate for up to five years without requiring a local referendum, contradicting the existing requirement for voter approval for all five of Virginia’s current casinos.
Instead, the state’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission would oversee the temporary casino's approval. Once authorized, the county would then need to issue permits to the developers.
Jeff McKay, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, expressed his outrage in a late-night statement signed by all nine Democratic members of the board. He stated, “It is bad enough to disrespect the wishes of Fairfax County voters; worse to do so in a way that undermines planned development in one of the economic drivers of the entire Commonwealth.”