New York casino project hits milestone

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Work on a new casino planned for upstate New York is hitting a critical construction milestone.

The developers of the Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady will host a “topping out” ceremony Monday. The event celebrates the placement of the building’s last steel beam.

Local officials and construction workers are expected to participate.

Rivers is one of four state-regulated casinos set to open in upstate New York in coming years. The others are in the Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and the Catskills.

The developers of Rivers Casino say they hope to open the facility in early 2017. The $330 million project includes a gaming floor with slot machines and table games along with a banquet facility, steakhouse, lounge, day spa and a 163-room hotel.