Gaming proponents size up the odds of a northern Virginia casino

As casinos start to pop up on Virginia’s southern border, some lawmakers are ready to explore whether wealthy northern Virginia should get in on the action

McLEAN, Va. -- With casinos popping up on Virginia's southern border, some lawmakers now want to explore whether wealthy northern Virginia should get in on the action.

State Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, is planning to re-introduce legislation that would allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum on building a casino. He introduced similar legislation last year that went nowhere. This year, though, his proposal envisions far more than a casino and includes a convention center, concert hall, hotel, and other amenities.

Marsden's preferred location is Tysons Corner, a suburb of the nation’s capital just a few miles from the Maryland border and a center of wealth that’s already home to successful high-end shopping malls and retail. While that area makes the most sense to Marsden, the legislation would allow the county to pick a site anywhere near one of the Silver Line Metro stations, including Reston.

Placing a casino and entertainment on the Silver Line will be a boon to Dulles Airport, which got its own Silver Line station last year, Marsden said. It would also bring union jobs and the labor lobby is expected to be on board, he added.

Fairfax County has been the state’s economic engine for decades. But it’s facing a crunch in its commercial tax base as demand for office space has diminished post-pandemic. The county needs to be realistic about the need for change and the revenue potential that casino gambling could bring, said Marsden.