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MCLEAN, VA — Comstock Holding Companies has spent more than $3.5 million on lobbyists and political contributions to push its casino legislation to the brink of adoption by the Virginia General Assembly, according to financial filings with the Virginia Department of Elections.

On Friday, Patch broke the story that the Virginia Senate had passed substitute legislation that significantly altered the casino legislation that's making is way through the state legislature.

These changes included allowing a temporary casino to operate for 5 years without local control and adding language to the bill specifying that the casino would be built in Tysons and not somewhere else in Fairfax County.

Read Patch's reporting on Comstock Holding Companies' plan to build a casino in Tysons at Silver Line Casino.

The Virginia House of Delegates would need to pass the new version of the bill on Saturday in order submit it to Gov. Abigail Spanberger by the end of the legislative session.

Since 2023, Comstock Holdings has spent $3,514,504.31 to finance its casino legislation, according to state campaign finance filings as reported by the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project.

Comstock Holdings Donations 2023-2026

TOTAL: $3,514,504.31

* From 2023 to 2026, Christopher Daniel Clemente and Chris Clemente contributed a combined $490,000 (C. Daniel Clemente -$260,000 + Chris Clemente - $230,000) to the Building a Remarkable Virginia Political Action Committee. To avoid duplication, $490,000 was subtracted from the total above.

In July, Patch reported that Comstock Holdings had spent a total of $552,612.31 on lobbyists in 2024 and 2025, according to financial disclosures filed with the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Council. That number does not reflect the full amount of money that the Reston-based developer has spent on lobbyists.

Ten lobbyists have registered with the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Council to work for Comstock Holdings during the 2026 legislative session. Those 10 have a June 30 deadline to file their financial disclosures, which means the full amount that the Reston developer paid lobbyists in 2026 won't be known until then.

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Chef Kevin Tien, the chef behind Moon Rabbit in DC, opened the Vietnamese-American concept with partner Alan Vo.

Chef Kevin Tien is bringing the flavors of Vietnamese-American life in Louisiana to Tysons Galleria. Tien opened Chao Bàn, a new fast-casual counter restaurant with longtime business partner, Alan Vo.

The eatery opens Tuesday on the third floor of Tysons Galleria at 2001 International Dr. in McLean.

Chao Bàn, translated as “hello, friend,” blends vibrant Southeast Asian flavors with familiar American formats. Its menu is shaped by the partners’ shared upbringing as first-generation Vietnamese Americans raised in Louisiana.

“For me, food is very personal,” says Tien, who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Cajun country. “The coolest foods blend your personal background and your personal story.”

Tien is best known locally as the chef behind Moon Rabbit, the Washington, DC, restaurant that has earned national attention for its modern Vietnamese cuisine. A 2024 James Beard Foundation finalist for Outstanding Chef, Tien has also been a five-time semifinalist, a 2018 Food & Wine Best New Chef and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s 2023 Chef of the Year.

Chao Bàn represents a different kind of project for Tien. It’s designed to be more casual and accessible while still grounded in the same cultural storytelling that defines his cooking.

“I just want to make really tasty food,” Tien says. “The best thing for me is when someone connects to it; when they say, ‘I grew up eating that,’ or they recognize the flavors. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The restaurant is a partnership with Vo, who will oversee day-to-day operations while helping shape the menu and guest experience. The two have known each other since Vo was in middle school in Louisiana. Tien says the partnership feels natural because of the pair’s shared upbringing and culinary influences.

“We grew up eating a lot of the same food — Louisiana and Vietnamese,” he says. “Nobody else really gets the vision like Alan does. He was the perfect partner.”

Located in the mall’s third-floor dining area, Chao Bàn is part of Tysons Galleria’s effort to expand its food offerings with chef-driven concepts. The menu centers on Vietnamese-American comfort dishes with Gulf Coast influences.

Guests will find two styles of phở noodles, a catfish bánh mì, and rice platters designed for quick but satisfying meals. Shareable snacks include dishes such as Impossible xíu mại and honey pecan shrimp, while eight signature plates form the core of the brand’s identity.

One standout item is the hot curry fried catfish bánh mì, which Tien describes as “like an Asian fried catfish po’ boy.”

“It’s exactly what it sounds like,” he says. “Mega tasty.”

The beverage menu also reflects the restaurant’s cross-cultural inspiration. A jasmine iced tea is lightly sweetened with coconut palm sugar, a nod to Southern sweet tea, while another drink draws inspiration from the classic Asian candy White Rabbit.

Tien says the food reflects the everyday dishes that shaped his childhood and the way immigrant families adapt their cooking traditions over time.

“When my family came to the U.S., my mom had to balance a lot,” he says. “My grandma wanted traditional Vietnamese food, but my mom also wanted the younger generation to feel like we were doing American things too. So she learned how to blend those cultures.”

That spirit of blending traditions remains at the heart of Chao Bàn.

“We want this to be a place for everyone,” Tien says. “If you want to grab something quickly and go, that’s great. But if you want to sit down and stay awhile, that works too.”

Tien describes the concept’s service style as something he calls “warm casual.”

“It’s warm service in a casual atmosphere,” he says. “You can get the full experience or just be in and out — whatever works for you.”

For now, the focus is on introducing diners to a concept that blends fast-casual convenience with the personal stories behind the Viet Cajun food.

“We really want to be part of the community,” Tien says. “We’re always listening to feedback and figuring out how we can serve the neighborhood better.”

Feature image courtesy Rey Lopez

Dawn Klavon is a seasoned writer and reporter with more than 20 years of experience in print and broadcast journalism. She contributes to a wide range of publications, including Northern Virginia Magazine, PEOPLE, Virginia Living, Bethesda Magazine, Arlington Magazine, and several military-focused outlets. Earlier in her career, she reported for multiple San Francisco Bay Area television stations, including KLXV, KKPX, and KFCB. She holds an MLA from Harvard University and a BS from Boston University.

Tysons Galleria will soon lose another longstanding tenant.

The mall is home to one of 12 Saks Fifth Avenue stores now slated to permanently shutter as part of the fashion retailer’s ongoing bankruptcy restructuring. The list also includes a location at The Collection in Chevy Chase.

Three Neiman Marcus stores are also among the upcoming closures announced today (Friday) by parent company Saks Global, though none of those are in the D.C. area.

The targeted stores, including the one at Tysons Galleria, will remain open until the end of May, a Saks Global spokesperson says.

“As part of the planned optimization of Saks Global’s operational footprint, we have made the decision to close select Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus locations … based on a number of factors, including performance and customer preference,” the spokesperson said in a statement to FFXnow. “With these closures, we are sharpening our focus on Saks Global’s distinctive capabilities and competitive advantages as we invest in opportunities to serve luxury customers, drive stronger full-price selling and enhance brand equity for our partners.”

Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas on Jan. 13.

While the decision to close Saks Fifth Avenue in Tysons appears to have been made after the filing, it was foreshadowed by a letter sent to the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development last August that sought details about the zoning for “the former Saks 5th Ave” at 2051 International Drive.

When asked about the letter in November, Saks representatives told FFXnow there were no plans to close or relocate the store, stating that the letter was “specific to a potential lender’s due diligence and has nothing whatsoever to do with any closure/sale.”

Saks Fifth Avenue was among the original anchor stores at Tysons Galleria when the mall opened in 1988, along with Neiman Marcus, which can still be found there, and Macy’s, which closed in 2019. Its impending closure comes on the heels of the Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano’s both departing for the larger Tysons Corner Center.

Mall owner Brookfield Properties, which has made progress on repopulating its third-floor food hall, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on its plans for the approximately 41,399-square-foot storefront currently occupied by Saks Fifth Avenue.

The newly announced closures come on top of the eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and one Neiman Marcus store it said it would close last month. The stores targeted for the first round of closing are expected to remain open until the end of April.

With plans to close a total of 24 department stores by spring, that would leave the parent company with 13 Saks Fifth Avenue stores — including its flagship store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue — as well as 32 Neiman Marcus locations and Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

With plans to close a total of 24 department stores by spring, that would leave the parent company with 13 Saks Fifth Avenue stores — including its flagship store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue — as well as 32 Neiman Marcus locations and Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

Saks also said 500 brands have resumed shipping, releasing close to $1.3 billion in retail receipts. That accounts for more than 80% of the inventory the company expects to receive from February through April, with momentum expected to continue, the company said.

The parent company is also in talks or has reached repayment agreements with about 175 suppliers.

Saks Global has been shrinking its business since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Last month, it said it will wind down 14 standalone Fifth Avenue Club personal styling suites, keeping three.

It also shuttered home goods retailer Horchow.com, a business that Neiman Marcus acquired in the late 1980s. As of Feb. 19, shoppers have been redirected to the home category on NeimanMarcus.com.

It’s also closing down all but 12 of its Saks Off Fifth locations. The remaining outlets will serve primarily as a selling channel for residual inventory from Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.