FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Hundreds of workers from Fairfax County are set to rally Tuesday morning in support of a proposed Tysons Entertainment District and casino.
The newly formed Fairfax County Jobs Coalition, including several labor unions and community organizations, said the project could bring over 5,000 jobs in the construction and hospitality industry to the area.
The rally, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center,is expected to feature union workers sharing their stories and holding signs that read “union jobs” and “money for schools.”
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The project is expected to generate $140 million in tax revenue for schools and county services, according toDavid Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers.
“There are union agreements in place that provide a fair process for thousands of workers to decide on permanent union jobs that would dramatically raise living standards for low- income workers in our community,” said Virginia Diamond, president of the NoVA Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, in a press release.
The coalition is also urging the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to back a bill that would allow residents to vote on whether to support the project.
If the proposal passes, officials said the entertainment district would include a “high-end hotel with gaming floor, convention center, concert venue, restaurants, retail, and workforce housing.”
7News spoke toVirginia State Senator Dave Marsden inJune about thebenefits of a potential casino in the county.
“We’re in a situation where people are starting to really pay attention to how much they’re paying in taxes on their homes and on their cars and what have you,” said Marsden. “We’re already seeing this year $450 on the average home going up on real estate taxes.”
Marsden said a casino could give relief to homeowners by contributing tax revenue to the county.
Despite the support, not everyone is on board with a casino.
During this year’s General Assembly Session, Virginia State Senator Jennifer Boysko said ‘no’ to a casino in Tysons.
“The silver line where this is proposed to put the casino is Class A top real estate in the county,” said Boysko. “This is where the Fortune 500 companies have come to build their homes. This is where we have focused our economic development for years.”
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