State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, Democrat, will be joined by area lawmakers, including Sen. Danica Roem, Democrat, of Prince William County, for a data center listening tour stop near Manassas on Monday evening.
The event, originally scheduled at a hotel in Gainesville, has been relocated to the Best Western Battlefield Inn in Manassas. It remains set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, June 15. Organizers have also confirmed State Senator Kannan Srinivasan, Democrat, Loudoun, will participate.
🚨 The location has changed to the Best Western Battlefield Inn in Manassas. Still 6-8pm on Monday 6/15. We are also excited to welcome @Kannanforva to join us! 🚨https://t.co/8XodNrCwCG https://t.co/E1R7XrJy91 pic.twitter.com/whhmcpgL2y
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) June 14, 2026
The updated details were shared Sunday via Lucas’ X account. The public is invited to attend and share input on the rapid growth of data centers in Northern Virginia and their impacts on local communities, energy use, taxes, and infrastructure.
Budget Tensions in Richmond
The listening tour comes amid heightened tensions in Richmond over the state budget and data center policy. Negotiations spilled into public view last week as Democratic leaders clashed ahead of the June 30 budget deadline.
Senate Finance and Appropriations Chairwoman Lucas publicly criticized Gov. Abigail Spanberger and House leaders, accusing them of protecting data center tax benefits. In a social media post and statement, Lucas referred to Spanberger as “Data Center Diva” and pushed for data centers to “pay their fair share.”
She noted multiple compromise proposals were offered that would generate revenue from data centers without either side getting everything they wanted. Spanberger responded that she supports making data centers pay more for energy consumption and addressing environmental concerns like air pollution, water use, and noise. She expressed confidence a budget deal would be reached on time.
The dispute highlights broader concerns in Northern Virginia, where data centers have driven economic growth but also raised questions about tax exemptions, electricity demands, and effects on residential electric bills and local services.
The House of Delegates is scheduled to reconvene its special session June 18, with the Senate following on June 22.
Read the full story from The Center Square: Virginia budget debate turns public amid data center dispute
Event Information
- Date/Time: Monday, June 15, 6-8 p.m.
- Location: Best Western Battlefield Inn, Manassas
- Tickets/Info: Available via Eventbrite
Lucas remains under FBI investigation related to allegations of corruption and possible bribery tied to her business interests, including a cannabis dispensary she co-owns. The FBI raided her legislative office and the adjacent cannabis business in Portsmouth on May 6, 2026.
