Fifth Virginia Casino Bill Once Again Facing Failure
The proposed legislation to authorize a casino in Tysons Corner, Virginia, is encountering significant obstacles in the state's General Assembly. Lawmakers deferred a decision on the bill Wednesday after House leadership transferred it between committees, raising further doubts about its chances of passing.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Senate Bill 982, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, would allow Fairfax County to develop a casino, adding it to the list of Virginia localities eligible for such projects. Supporters believe the measure would create employment opportunities and generate additional revenue for both the county and the state. Despite passing the Senate with a 24-16 vote, the bill remains in a House Appropriations subcommittee and has not advanced further.
Related: Virginia Lawmakers to Make Another Attempt at Tysons CasinoSurovell indicated that discussions on the bill would continue following Wednesday's vote. While House leadership frequently shifts bills between committees, this move came a day after Delegate Paul Krizek, who leads the gaming subcommittee, was expected to take up the measure. Krizek had previously stated in a public event in Alexandria that he opposed the bill.
Krizek, who serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, expressed reservations about supporting the bill despite Surovell's efforts to promote economic development in Northern Virginia. He emphasized the necessity of establishing a well-defined regulatory framework for gaming due to increasing interest in the industry. He also suggested using a budget amendment to create the Virginia Gaming Commission, an independent agency tasked with regulating legal gambling activities in the state, excluding the Virginia Lottery.
During the subcommittee hearing, proponents of the bill highlighted its potential to create jobs and enhance economic security. Opponents countered that it lacked widespread community support and would restrict casino development to only two potential sites in Tysons Corner. Some lawmakers have also raised concerns over possible financial conflicts associated with the legislation.
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Questionable Relationships Emerge
Questions about the bill increased after records revealed a financial relationship between Comstock Holding Companies, the proposed casino developer, and George Mason University. Reports indicated that a professor at the university who had initially criticized a similar bill in 2023 later reversed his stance after Comstock funded a study on casino development. The connection was first reported by Virginia Politics Revealed.
In 2023, George Mason University Professor Terry Clower described previous casino legislation sponsored by Sen. David Marsden as a sign of economic desperation. Clower, who also serves as the director of the Center for Regional Analysis at the university's Schar School of Public Policy, later voiced support for the proposal during a public forum held by the Fairfax County NAACP in January 2024, following Comstock's financial contributions to the university for a study.
Sen. Jennifer Boysko spoke against the bill at Wednesday's subcommittee hearing and raised concerns about the lack of disclosure regarding the financial relationship between Comstock and the university. She wrote to George Mason University President Gregory Washington, emphasizing that the revelation of the funding arrangement and the communications regarding the developer's data had cast doubt on the neutrality of the study provided to lawmakers.
Boysko stated that taxpayers expect transparency and objectivity from public institutions. She noted that the disclosure of the financial relationship through a public records request had raised many questions, regardless of individual opinions on the bill itself.
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