Casino Opposition Reaffirmed By Vienna Town Council After Bill Advance

VIENNA, VA — After the Virginia Senate passed a bill that would make a proposed casino in Tysons a referendum on a ballot, Vienna Town Council is renewing their call for opposition.

Mayor Linda Colbert and Vienna Town Council have spoken out about the proposed casino, which would be not far from the Town of Vienna in Tysons. On Tuesday, the Virginia Senate voted 24-16 to advance the legislation. It now heads to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Vienna's mayor and Town Council encouraged residents to contact their state legislators about the casino legislation. She and members of the Town Council have also made recent trips to Richmond to voice their concerns and to ask legislators to vote no on the casino bill.

"A casino is not now, nor has it ever been included in Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan for Tysons," said Colbert in a statement. "The consensus from the community is that no amount of monetary gain a casino might bring to our region is worth the negative impacts on our family friendly community. That is why we are encouraging everyone in Vienna and the greater-Vienna area to contact their state representatives and tell them to oppose the casino bill."

Senate Bill 982 would give the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authority to put a referendum on a ballot for residents to decide whether to build a casino in Tysons. The casino bill was carried over from the Virginia General Assembly's 2024 session.

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin would have the final consideration on the state level. Colbert has sent a letter to Youngkin, seeking his opposition to the bill if it passes the Virginia House.

Del Holly Seibold, a Democrat whose district includes the Town of Vienna and Tysons, has already expressed opposition to the casino legislation. Vienna residents may contact Seibold at DelHSeibold@house.virginia.gov, by phone at 804-698-1012 or via letter at General Assembly Building, 201 North 9th Street, Room Number 902, Richmond, Va. 23219. Other representatives' contact information is listed on the Virginia General Assembly website.

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