- Polling suggests Northern Virginia residents oppose casino gambling
- Legislative efforts to designate Fairfax County for a casino resort continue
Efforts to allow a casino in Northern Virginia have faced near-unanimous opposition from homeowners’ associations, civic groups, and local government officials. New polling suggests the public is overwhelmingly against a Las Vegas-like resort, too.
A poll conducted by Global Strategy Group, a public affairs consultancy, finds that among likely voters in Fairfax County and the Greater Tysons region, three in four (75%) say they oppose the development of a casino. About half of the nearly 1,000 residents surveyed said they “strongly” oppose gambling in the affluent area that’s known for being the headquarters of numerous Fortune 500 companies.
Fairfax voters are clear: they do not want a casino in the county, and they reject the argument that a casino will boost the local economy or lower their taxes,” said Freedom Virginia Co-Executive Director Ryan O’Toole, whose nonprofit commissioned the poll.
Freedom Virginia is dedicated to “advancing policies that create a commonwealth where hardworking Virginians have the freedom to thrive.”
The pollsters found that only 23% of likely voters would back a local referendum asking them to authorize slot machines, table games, and sports betting within Fairfax County. Almost nine in 10 agreed that a casino would further increase traffic congestion, and 76% opined that Northern Virginians already have enough options to gamble.
Push Continues
For several years, Virginia Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Fairfax) has been working with local real estate firm Comstock Companies in petitioning the General Assembly to allow voters in Fairfax County to mull a casino development.
Comstock, a campaign supporter of Marsden and several other state lawmakers who were willing to lend their name to a Northern Virginia casino bill, wants to construct a casino resort near Route 7 at Chain Bridge Road in Tysons. The former auto dealership property is owned by Comstock.
Marsden and other supporters, including Sens. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax), Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico), Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax), and Todd Pillion (R-Washington), believe a casino in Northern Virginia would generate considerable state and local tax revenue, and stop money from flowing out of the state into Maryland, where MGM National Harbor operates nearby.
Marsden contends that a casino could help solve some of Fairfax County’s revenue issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As many businesses allowed employees to work from home, the region’s many large office buildings saw occupancy rates dwindle, leading to lower property tax assessments, lease terms, and county revenue.
Marsden says he’s no fan of gambling, but there have been no other proposals to solve the county’s property tax income problem.
I don’t like casinos. I don’t like the idea of gambling either. But you either compete or you die in this environment,” Marsden said in May on “The Politics Hour.” “You have to play the hand of cards that you’re dealt.”
President Donald Trump’s ongoing mission to reduce federal spending has also led to fewer government contracts, which have impacted numerous businesses and consulting firms in the region.
Voters Unconvinced of Revenue Concerns
The Freedom Virginia poll on a Northern Virginia casino found that many voters aren’t sold that Fairfax has a revenue problem, and that without new revenue streams, they’ll need to foot the bill to continue their quality of life, featuring low crime and well-performing schools.
The poll found that just 21% of voters agree that a casino is necessary to solve the county’s revenue crisis. About 76% said they think the ultra-wealthy and big corporations should be required to “pay their share” to help resolve the funding conundrum.
Per the 2020 US Census, the median household income in Fairfax County is $127,900. That’s the fifth-richest in the country.
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