A Las Vegas-style casino resort proposal for Northern Virginia's Tysons area faces strong opposition from Fairfax County officials and residents. Local leaders voiced their concerns during a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, with neighboring town representatives explicitly rejecting the casino concept.

Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert emphasized the potential negative impacts, while longtime residents like William Comerfield and William Doolittle expressed their opposition. The casino project, championed by state Sen. David Marsden (D-Fairfax), would require both legislative approval and voter support through a local referendum.

Marsden argues the casino could help offset potential property tax increases, as major corporations reduce their office space footprint post-pandemic. According to Newmark's Q3 report, Northern Virginia experienced negative absorption of 714K square feet, indicating a softening commercial real estate market.

Despite widespread opposition, the project has garnered support from local unions. Labor representatives, including IBEW Local Union 26 board member Epaminondas Mouhanis, advocate for the thousands of construction and permanent jobs the development would create, emphasizing the benefits of union employment including higher wages and pensions.

Currently, Virginia law only permits casinos in Norfolk, Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, and Petersburg. Marsden plans to introduce legislation to add Fairfax County to this list, though similar efforts failed in committee previously.

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