Virginia Senate Approves ‘Temporary’ Fairfax County Casino Nearly the Size of MGM National Harbor Without Voter Referendum
Posted on: March 14, 2026, 09:21h.
Last updated on: March 14, 2026, 09:29h.
- The Virginia Senate has approved a Fairfax County casino compromise
- The compromise authorizes a temporary casino without a local referendum
- If a permanent Fairfax casino is rejected through a referendum, the temporary casino would shutter
On Friday, the Virginia Senate approved legislation that would allow slot machines, live dealer tables, and a sportsbook in Fairfax County without local voters first lending their support.
In a most shocking compromise reached by a Joint Conference Committee, the assigned Senators and Delegates included language that was in neither of the Fairfax County casino bills their respective chambers passed.
With the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors saying state lawmakers were essentially wasting their time in deliberating bills to name the county as an eligible host locality for a casino because the local government would not pursue competitive bids and conduct a local referendum, as has occurred in the five other places in Virginia where casinos have been approved, state lawmakers took matters into their own hands and are now seemingly trying to override Fairfax leaders’ anti-casino stance.
The Joint Conference Committee substitute of Senate Bill 756 allows Virginia’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission to approve a temporary casino somewhere within Fairfax County before voters might weigh in on a permanent casino proposal through a referendum. SB756 sponsor Scott Surovell, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, says the temporary casino provision is to encourage the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to “cooperate” with the state law.
The thinking is that if the county truly doesn’t want gambling, then the local government should field bids and present the matter to voters. If the people vote down the permanent casino, the temporary casino shuts down.
Big Temporary Casino
The Joint Conference Committee substitute quickly gained the full support of the state Senate with a 22-16 vote. The measure must now gain the House of Delegates’ blessing before it moves to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) desk.
The proposed temporary casino would not be small, as the compromise statute limits the gaming floor to 150,000 square feet. MGM National Harbor in nearby Maryland has approximately 159,000 square feet of casino space. The MGM floor has almost 2,300 slot machines, 160 live dealer table games, and a BetMGM Sportsbook.
The SB756 compromise additionally restores the site criteria to limit the permanent casino development to property owned by Comstock Companies, the longtime supporter of the Fairfax casino push and a considerable donor to lawmakers backing the gaming effort. The statute now specifies that a permanent casino could only operate on a 30-acre property next to the Adaire residential high-rise and Spring Hill Metro.
Opposition Aplenty
While Surovell was joined by his Fairfax colleague, Sen. David Marsden (D-Fairfax), in backing the casino bill, other local representatives remained opposed. They were headlined by Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax), who said on the Senate floor Friday that area voters remain strongly opposed to welcoming in Las Vegas.
We all worked hard to be in these seats, to represent our communities. This community gives and gives and gives to this commonwealth, and this is something the community does not wish to have,” Boysko said.
“This is not the way we do public policy,” Boysko said in asking her Senate colleagues to vote “no.”
No comments yet