Fairfax County executive answers questions regarding possible casino project

Comstock Companies plans to build a casino near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.

Fairfax County, Virginia Executive Bryan Hill recently responded to questions surrounding the possibility of building a casino without any zoning changes, according to a Patch.com local news report.

Hill addressed several issues, including current laws regarding casino construction, possible sites that would work, what gaming would be allowed and who would need to approve the project.

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn raised these questions after Comstock Companies unveiled plans to build a casino close to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.

When asked how requests needed to be made to authorize this kind of project, Hill said that the path for every jurisdiction is different.

He responded further by saying, “In at least one case, in the City of Richmond, there was never a clear indication of support to the General Assembly for casino authority. As you probably know, two casino referendums in Richmond have failed.

“At present, casinos have opened in Bristol, Portsmouth, and Danville, with an additional casino planned in Norfolk in partnership with the federally recognized Pamunkey Indian Tribe.”

In other state news, the Virginia Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of banning games of skill.

This is not the first time that skill games have been prohibited in Virginia. The state passed a law in 2020 banning skill game kiosks.

However, the restriction was lifted at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to provide “desperately needed revenue for small businesses.”

Following the 2020 ban, the gaming industry pushed back to appeal the matter in court. Both groups reached a legal standstill in December 2021. Up until the recent ruling, no formal decision had been made on the case.

David Thompson

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