Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has expressed concerns about proposed legislation to build a casino complex in Tyson’s Corner, Va.
The bill, introduced by Democratic State Sen. David Marsden, is being debated through the Virginia General Assembly. If passed, Fairfax County will hold a referendum to approve the plan, paving the way for a casino near the Silver and Orange Metro lines, outside of the Capital Beltway. Marsden says the bill is required to support the local economy.
“Our economy is changing in northern Virginia, and we need this help,” he said Tuesday at a subcommittee hearing.
The legislation cleared a hurdle on Wednesday when a state Senate committee voted to advance the bill despite the opposition. The bill will need to pass in both houses of the General Assembly. However, the proposal raised objections from some local officials and residents.
McKay pointed out that, typically, local government works with operators to formulate a plan before seeking state government support. In this case, however, the Fairfax County Board was informed about the proposal just before its introduction.
“What happened here is that people in a vacuum worked on a plan and went to Richmond without coordinating with Fairfax County,” he told DC News Now. “None of those groups has come formally, sat down with me and said, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re proposing. This is what our bill looks like. Will Fairfax County engage in conversations with us?’ ”
“For other jurisdictions that have casinos, the share of revenue that comes back to local governments is roughly 25 percent.” McKay added. “I mean, that’s not a good deal for the people of Fairfax County. If this casino generated $200 million and only $50 million of that came back to Fairfax County, and I was left with all the problems related to a casino? That’s not a good deal for my taxpayers. We’re not in this to be the state’s ATM.”
Civic groups like the McLean Citizens Association also have voiced concerns over infrastructure and the plan’s affordability.
“It just doesn’t seem like a good fit for Tyson’s either, which is described as our economic engine,” said Linda Walsh, the association’s president. “So we’re concerned that our Fortune 500 companies might not find that a casino is exactly who they want as a neighbor.”
In Sully District, Va., the Sully District Council of Citizens Associations and the West Fairfax County Citizens Association issued a joint resolution opposing the bill.
“The Joint Committee, in the strongest possible terms, opposes the potential action by the Virginia General Assembly authorizing a Fairfax County referendum for the consideration of any casinos and related ‘public entertainment’ developments near any transit station along the Metrorail Silver or Orange Lines,” the resolution noted.
