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Read Full BioState Sen. Ghazala Hashmi has narrowly won the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Primary in Virginia, boosting hopes for proponents of the Tysons Casino project on the outskirts of Washington, D.C.
The casino proposal in Tysons, backed by Comstock Companies, has split opinions among lawmakers and the public in Northern Virginia. For it to move forward, the legislature must approve it as it is not part of the state’s approved locations, and the governor must sign it into law.
Then, residents would have the final word through a referendum.
Hashmi and Rouse Back Referendum; Stoney Opposed
Hashmi won the race with a slim margin over former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and state Sen. Aaron Rouse. Both Rouse and Hashmi support a potential referendum, while Stoney opposes it.
Stoney’s stance is perhaps shaped by his mayoral term, during which he pushed for a Richmond casino. However, residents there rejected it twice through a referendum.
Meanwhile, Hashmi and Rouse have supported the project and voted in favor of it earlier this year. The support could be attributed to the fact that both received donations from Comstock, the developer of the Tysons proposal.
Background: Virginia’s Casino Law and the Petersburg Addition
In 2020, Virginia lawmakers voted to permit five retail casinos in select locations that would benefit from their presence. Fairfax County, where Tysons is located, was not included in the original law.
Voters in four of the chosen locations — Norfolk, Danville, Portsmouth, and Bristol — approved the casinos. Meanwhile, those in Richmond rejected the idea. That led lawmakers to search for a fifth location, settling on Petersburg.
As the Petersburg process was ongoing, state Sen. Dave Marsden proposed legislation to include Fairfax County in the list of approved locations.
In February 2024, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted to leave his 2024 proposal on the table until the 2025 legislative session.
At the same time, voters in Petersburg approved the casino proposal by Cordish Companies in the November 2024 elections. A few months later, in March, the project broke ground.
Tysons Casino Proposal Cleared Senate, Stalled in House
With Petersburg filling the fifth slot, a Tysons casino would require state lawmakers to expand the number of authorized casinos.
In early 2025, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell led the effort to introduce Senate Bill 982, which would allow for a local referendum. He cited a study that estimates the casino could generate $1.2 billion in revenue. That would result in $232 million annually for Virginia.
The proposal saw considerable opposition, including from Fairfax lawmakers, who claimed it lacked community support. Still, the Senate passed the bill with a 24-16 vote at the beginning of February. Hashmi and Rouse both voted in favor.
Once the bill crossed over to the House, it stalled. It moved through several committees, but it ran out of time as the 2025 legislative session came to a close.
Labor Support vs. Local Resistance
Surovell and other advocates see the Comstock project as a boost to the economy. Fairfax County is home to numerous office buildings and has struggled to maintain its economic stability since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, the project, which promises to create 5,000 well-paid jobs, received support from a labor union coalition last fall.
Still, there’s significant opposition from lawmakers and various local organizations.
Local lawmakers claim that the area does not need a casino and can generate revenue in other ways. Some House delegates have also warned that they will shelve future proposals. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has also argued against the potential benefit to the local community.
Community organizations, such as the No Fairfax Casino Coalition and Rescue Reston, have labeled the casino a threat to the community.
Meanwhile, the town of Vienna, located approximately one mile from the potential site, passed a resolution opposing the project due to concerns over its impact on traffic and family life.
