Spanberger says no to Fairfax casino with veto

In April, Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed legislation that would have led to Fairfax County‘s referendum vote to determine whether a casino would be built in Tysons.

Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, Senate Bill 756 passed the state legislature this session after similar bills failed in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Spanberger vetoed the bill because “it would strip the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors of control over the local approval process, require the county to set a referendum and set a broader precedent,” according to her official statement.

“Local governing boards should lead on proposed casino development, as has happened in every locality that now has a casino,” Spanberger added. “But in Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors has explicitly opposed this legislation, and an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly members who represent Fairfax voted against it.”

Jeff McKay, chair of the Fairfax board, said in a March statement that he would “continue to fight any and all efforts to jam a casino in Tysons,” following the bill’s passage through the state legislature.

Spanberger also objected to the legislation’s limits on where a casino could be built within the county, restricting it to Tysons near the Metro Silver Line.

“This effectively precludes local input and eliminates local decisions,” she said. And while the vetoed bill affected only Fairfax County, Spanberger added that it could “set a precedent to bring casino referendums to other localities where the local governing board may similarly oppose such an effort.”
Surovell was “deeply disappointed” by Spanberger’s veto, he said in a statement. “This bill was Northern Virginia labor’s No. 1 legislative priority — supported by every major building trades union in the region — and it carried the endorsement of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.”

He added that “the voters were never going to be bypassed. … It was a permission slip, not a mandate,” and closed with a vow: “I will not stop.”

The No Fairfax Casino Coalition, a group of more than 40 local organizations that oppose a casino referendum vote, praised the governor’s decision.

“This was a special carve-out for one locality, and Gov. Spanberger rejected it,” said Lynne Mulston, chair of the coalition’s steering committee. “That decision respects local concerns and recognizes the need for transparent, evidence-based policy.”