Local leaders around Tysons are digging in to fight a casino from being built there — slamming state lawmakers who greenlit a hurried casino bill over the weekend.

Why it matters: Boosters see a lucrative Tysons mall-sized mixed use development, but a powerful county official stands in the way, siding with many neighbors who sniff at the thought of slot machines down the street.

♠️ State of play: It took years of trying, but the Virginia legislature approved the casino bill on Saturday, thanks to supporters like Scott Surovell, an influential state senator who represents Fairfax.

• The legislation calls for a 1.5 million-square-foot project just outside the Beltway, within a quarter-mile from an existing Silver Line Metro station.

Surovell says a casino will diversify the county's tax base to help fund its high-quality schools, public safety and key services. At a time when the county population is dipping, per estimates from a UVA study.

• "I have not heard [an] alternative" to grow the county, Surovell told Axios in a text, "and in the meantime we are losing the fight to all of our neighboring jurisdictions."

💸 Follow the money: A casino would generate an estimated $62 million in annual local and state taxes, according to a feasibility study first reported by FFXNow.

Friction point: Surovell's casino advocacy makes him a pariah among locals, chief among them being Fairfax County chairman Jeff McKay, who feels like Richmond is big-footing.

• McKay has said the bill was a nonstarter — that his board of supervisors would simply choose to not schedule the voter referendum required for it to proceed.
• An anti-casino group called the Tysons Stakeholder Alliance believes it would bring too much car traffic, increase crime and hurt the neighborhood's character.

🔎 Zoom in: Earlier this year, Caesars Entertainment revealed they'd be open to the Tysons opportunity, two years after opening a casino 250 miles south in Danville, Virginia.

• Last year, Reston-based developer Comstock released conceptual renderings of a casino-anchored project with an arts venue, five-star hotel, apartments and more.

🔮 What's next: Gov. Spanberger has a big decision to make — it's on her desk to sign or veto.

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The White House wants to build an underground center to provide security screening for visitors, the latest step in the Trump administration's plan to overhaul the grounds, AP's Darlene Superville reports.

• The 33,000-square-foot center would have seven lanes. Construction could begin as early as August: The White House said it wants the facility open by July 2028, six months before President Trump's term ends.
• The plans are on the agenda for next month's meeting of the Trump-stacked National Capital Planning Commission.

📍The screening center would be built under Sherman Park, southeast of the White House and directly south of the Treasury building.

• White House visitors used to line up before entering a series of trailers and walking into the East Wing. Since that was razed, visitors are lining up near Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania Avenue.

The monument to Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in the center of Sherman Park wouldn't be removed, according to the plans. The Secret Service and NPS are collab'ing on the project.

🇮🇪 Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here are some of our favorite pubs around the DMV to celebrate.

☑️ The Trump-stacked Kennedy Center Board voted unanimously yesterday to close the arts center for two years for a "comprehensive revitalization project," to the tune of $200 million. Also: to install Matt Floca as president. He previously ran facilities operations. (Washington Post)

🚨Court records show at least 10 D.C.-area immigration arrests where Park Police traffic stops preceded ICE detentions, tied to a lawsuit alleging warrantless enforcement. Advocates say routine parkway traffic stops are being used to target immigrant workers, while officials refute the claim. (Washington Post)

A wave of new D.C.-area restaurants is on the way — and you can try them before they open.

• The long-running food festival New Kitchens on the Block returns April 25 to Brookland's Mess Hall.

🍴 Now on its 12th edition, NKOTB is basically a talent showcase for D.C.'s restaurant scene.

• The exciting 2026 lineup and tickets just dropped.

👀 What's coming soon

District Larder Co., Matt Sperber (Any Day Now)

• A Petworth sandwich shop and market focused on housemade charcuterie and whole-animal butchery, plus weekend dinners and brunch with local, specialty cuts (opening this spring).

Phia, Brad Feikert (Soko Butcher)

• The chef behind Takoma Park's cult sandwich shop is opening a neighboring restaurant inspired by his Appalachian roots — think wild-foraged greens, heirloom grains and braised meats, with cocktails and wine to match.

Itiyah by former White House chef Sebastien Salomon

• An intimate 20-seat Haitian fine-dining restaurant celebrating the chef's native cuisine.

An all-day café by Fiola chef Fabio Trabocchi (name TBA)

• It's coming to Rosslyn with Italian-inspired sandwiches, salads and quality coffee.

Alfie's, Alex McCoy (Lucky Buns) and Justin Ahn (Incheon)

• A cozy Georgetown spot pairing Northern Thai cooking with natural wines, focused on locally sourced ingredients.

Little Birdie, Eric Brannon (Matt & Tony's)

• A Del Ray comfort-food spot centered on fried chicken sandwiches — with luxe extras like oysters and caviar (expected late spring).

More restaurants!

Reality check: Yesterday's apocalyptic forecast mostly fizzled — aside from swampy roads and prematurely liberated school kids.

The mea culpa: "Yes, I'll stand in the town square and y'all can show up with pitchforks and tomatoes," meteorologist Mathew Cappucci wrote on X.

• 😆 "Flees the DMV in meteorological exile."