The McLean Citizens Association plans to oppose any casino legislation when the Virginia General Assembly convenes in January. Fairfax County is finalizing a broader set of priorities for the 2027 session.

MCA President Glenn Harris said the group remains "concerned about the possibility that legislation would be reintroduced to promote the establishment of a casino in the Tysons area or Fairfax County in general," the Fairfax County Times reported Sept. 17. Harris said the association would work with local legislators to block any new bill, though he expressed hope that Gov. Abigail Spanberger's veto of the Tysons casino bill settled the matter.

It may not be settled. Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, who sponsored the vetoed measure known as SB 756, has said he plans to reintroduce a casino proposal in 2027. The bill would have authorized a casino anywhere in Fairfax County capable of hosting a mixed-use development of 1.5 million square feet or more. That threshold covered Tysons, Merrifield, Fair Oaks, Fair Lakes, Reston and the Dulles Suburban Center.

The Reston Citizens Association shares the MCA's opposition. Lynne Mulston, president of the Reston group and chair of the No Fairfax Casino Coalition, told the Times the coalition supports creating a unified Virginia Gaming Commission. She described the state's current regulatory setup as fragmented and said a single independent regulator would help prevent piecemeal gambling expansion. Legislation to create that commission has been delayed until the 2027 session.

The Board of Supervisors itself voted 5-4 in December 2025 to add anti-casino language to its 2026 legislative agenda, opposing any casino authorization unless the board specifically requested it. Chair Jeff McKay and Supervisors James Alcorn, Jimmy Bierman of the Dranesville District, Rodney Lusk and Dalia Palchik voted in favor, according to MCA records.

In July, Harris reinforced the MCA's stance when McKay called for a Tysons conference center feasibility study. "We hope the casino legislation will not be reintroduced, but the MCA will continue to strongly oppose any proposal to build a casino in Tysons or Fairfax County," Harris said at the time, the Times reported.

Beyond the casino fight, county leaders outlined a legislative package led by K-12 funding reform. Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez, who chairs the county's legislative committee, identified school funding as the top priority. He said the county wants to build on a 2023 JLARC study to modernize funding formulas for high-cost regions like Northern Virginia.

Hunter Mill District School Board member Melanie Meren said Fairfax County spends roughly $1.18 billion beyond state funding for services such as special education and multilingual instruction. She argued the state should not be running budget surpluses "on the backs of localities."

McKay said the county will also push for long-term Metro and Virginia Railway Express funding and additional tools to increase housing supply.

Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity criticized the package for focusing on collective bargaining, expanded local taxing authority and environmental initiatives while ignoring what he called overregulation in housing and development.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a General Assembly reception and work session Oct. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center.