© 2024
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Rivers Casino Gets Its Table Games

Lucas Willard
/
WAMC
Workers touch the felt of a new poker table

Schenectady’s casino is just weeks away from opening. Workers recently unloaded a shipment of table games.

The deliverytrucks lined up outside the Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor Thursday morning to bring in the very tables that customers will be seated at in less than a month.

82 wrapped up tables were wheeled across the loading dock, 67 table games and 15 poker tables.

As the plastic and paper was torn off to reveal brand new green felt, Rosemarie Cook, Vice President of Gaming, said it’s a big day for the nearly-completed casino. 

“This is a huge day for us. You know, not long ago we had our slot deliveries start and we now have 1,050 slots in place,” said Cook.

Cook says the inside of the building is finally starting to look like a casino.

The poker tables that were shown off are state-of-the-art.

Poker shift manager, Cindy Yao, came to Schenectady from SugarHouse, a Philadelphia casino also owned by parent company Rush Street Gaming. She showed off some of the features baked into the felted tables.

“We’re going to have…it’s nine seated, and over here we’re going to have our shuffle machines, automatic shuffle machines…”

Each table has an extra-wide armrest with cup holders and they’re all wired up for tablets and phone chargers.

When connected, guests will be able to order food directly to their tables.

“So yeah, they don’t have to get out of their seat at all…except to go to the bathroom,” quipped Yao.

Besides the gaming floor, the casino will also feature dining, a spa, banquet space, and a bar and lounge. Officials celebrated the installation of a large LED-sign on the casino’s exterior last November. 

Beyond the casino walls, the surrounding Mohawk Harbor is still under construction, in partnership with Galesi Group. Retail space, office complexes, apartments, and lodging are all part of the plan. A Courtyard Marriott hotel is already open.

The whole complex is located on the site of the former Alco plant.

Cook said things will continue to move quickly as Schenectady prepares to welcome the new casino on February 8th.

“It’s exciting, it’s scary, there’s everything there. There’s that whole sea of emotion. Are we going to make it? And I can tell you with 100 percent confidence we are going to make it,” said Cook.

Lucas Willard is a reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011.
Related Content