WTOP/Luke Lukert

WTOP/Luke Lukert

WTOP/Luke Lukert

Members of several unions united Tuesday morning to urge the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to support a referendum that would allow voters to choose whether a casino and entertainment district is approved for Tysons, Virginia.

Dozens of union workers and supporters rallied outside the Fairfax County Government Center to ask the board to back a ballot referendum before the new legislative session for the commonwealth begins in 2025.

Rafael Cruz who works with a hospitality union said the jobs are life-changing in times of inflation and economic worry, “You can see … the benefit in wages.”

Virginia Diamond, president of the Northern Virginia AFL-CIO, told WTOP the jobs that would come out of the casino would “lift people out of poverty” and make buying homes and renting more affordable in the notoriously expensive Northern Virginia suburb.

“We have agreements in place that will allow more than 5,000 workers to be able to choose freely, to become part of a union. And having a union job is life-changing,” Diamond said.

Unions that wouldn’t see direct jobs also support the project.

David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, said in a statement, “This is an important opportunity to bring in more commercial tax revenue for schools and other county services, which is sorely needed.”

A study conducted in 2019 by the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission found that a Northern Virginia casino could generate upward of $155 million annually in tax revenue.

Earlier this year, Virginia’s Senate Finance and Appropriations committee voted against a bill that would have allowed the county to have a ballot referendum on building a casino. They instead decided to carry the bill over to next year’s session, hoping to get more research on the project.

Groups who oppose the Tysons Corner Casino argue it will hurt local businesses and property values, as well as increase traffic in the area.

Democratic Sen. Jennifer Boysko, who represents parts of Fairfax County, is among those who opposes the casino.

“This is where Fortune 500 companies have come to make their home,” Boysko said of Tysons Corner during the session. “This is not something that Fortune 500s would like to have in their community.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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