Northern Virginia Casino Bill Advances in State Senate Committee

Legislation would allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum on a casino, convention center, and concert hall in Tysons Corner.

Legislation that would allow a referendum on a casino in the northern Virginia suburbs of the nation’s capital cleared a hurdle Wednesday when a state Senate committee voted to advance the bill.
The bill would allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum on placing a casino, as well as a convention center and concert hall, in Tysons Corner, in the heart of some of the nation's wealthiest suburbs.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, said a casino would help diversify the tax base of a county that has traditionally been the state's economic engine and cash cow.
Legislative studies have also shown that a northern Virginia casino would generate more tax revenue than anywhere else.
Opponents have expressed concerns about traffic and crime. The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce supports the bill.