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Fairfax County casino bill passes Virginia House, moving Northern Virginia plan closer
A long-running push to bring a casino to Northern Virginia moved forward after lawmakers in Richmond approved legislation supporters say could create a new revenue stream for Fairfax County — while opponents warn it could bring new problems to the region. Fairfax County’s controversial gaming bill passed in the Virginia House, bringing the county one step closer to potentially getting its own casino. The vote in the state House was 64 to 32.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - A long-running push to bring a casino to Northern Virginia moved forward after lawmakers in Richmond approved legislation supporters say could create a new revenue stream for Fairfax County — while opponents warn it could bring new problems to the region.
What we know:
Fairfax County’s controversial gaming bill passed in the Virginia House, bringing the county one step closer to potentially getting its own casino.
The vote in the state House was 64 to 32.
The legislation now heads to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s desk, but even if she signs it, that would not automatically mean a casino is built.
What's next:
Supporters and lawmakers say the process includes multiple steps:
The bill must be signed by the governor.
If it is signed, there would still need to be a referendum, meaning voters would have the final say on whether Fairfax County gets a casino.
A deadline referenced in the report indicates the area would have until July 1, 2029, to have a successful referendum.
The backstory:
The battle to bring a casino to Northern Virginia has been underway for several years.
Earlier proposals referenced plans for a casino in Tysons, along the Silver Line corridor.
In the report, Senate Majority Leader Scott Somerville was identified as backing the measure to add Fairfax County to the list of possible casino sites.
Supporters say a casino could generate revenue that would help Fairfax County address what was described as a $300 million budget shortfall, while also noting the county already has some of the highest taxes in Northern Virginia.
What they're saying:
Some residents interviewed supported the idea as a revenue source:
"I think it will be a good another source of income for the county to generate money."
Others said they don’t want another casino in the region and urged leaders to focus on other needs:
"I really don’t want another casino in this area because there’s too much. We have homeless people here, people that don’t have food or shelter, so I think they need to focus more on that and not another casino."
Another resident suggested the region doesn’t need a Fairfax casino at all:
"We can keep it at MGM over there by Oxon Hill. Like that’s good enough for me."
The report also noted that opponents are calling on the governor to veto the bill.
The Source: This article was written using information presented in a FOX 5 on-air report about the Fairfax County casino bill’s passage in the Virginia House.