Reston Association Votes To Oppose Developer Plan To Build Casino

RESTON, VA — In the wee hours of Friday morning, Reston Association Board of Directors approved a motion to oppose the construction of a casino in Reston. The vote came shortly before they finished their monthly meeting that had started almost six hours earlier.

On Monday, Patch broke the news that Comstock, the developer that owns the majority of property at the Reston East station, was planning to build a casino at or near the station, according to local officials.

The board also directed CEO Mac Cummins and Board President John Farrell to work together to come up with a strategy for opposing the casino. The deadline for them to do that is no later than the next board meeting on Oct. 26.

In addition, the board agreed to send a letter to Phil Newell, Del. Don Scott's (D-Portsmouth) chief of staff, inviting the minority leader to visit Reston sometime in November or December.

Patch also broke news that Comstock CEO Chris Clemente and his father-in-law Dwight Schar had hosted a fundraiser on Sept. 19 for Don Scott (D-Portsmouth, the minority leader in the Virginia House of Delegates. If the Democrats win back control of the house in November, Scott would likely become the speaker of the house. The fundraiser was at Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse, which is located at Reston Station.

Clemente and Schar have also planned to host a fundraiser on Oct. 16 for state Sens. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) and Scott Surovell (D-Alexandria). This event is planned for Reston Metro Plaza.

Read Patch's coverage Comstock's plan to build a casino in Reston.

• Casino Planned Near Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station By Comstock
• Developer Brings Democratic Leaders To Site Of Planned Casino At Metro
• Reston Casino: Developer CEO's Relative Donates $1M To VA Candidates
• Casino At Reston Station: Share Your Opinion In Patch's Online Poll

Marsden is the state senator who introduced a bill during the last legislative session that would give Fairfax County authority to hold a referendum to let voters decide if a casino could be built within a quarter mile of seven Silver Line stations outside the Capital Beltway. Although Marsden withdrew his bill a few days later, he told Patch last week that he was likely to reintroduce it during the next legislative session if he is reelected in November.

Surovell, who is the current vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus, is seen by some as a likely successor to current Majority Leader Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax), who announced earlier in the year that he was not going to seek reelection.