Schenectady Casino Build Ahead of Schedule

SCHENECTADY — The Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor will be the first full-scale casino to open in upstate New York, according to members of the state Gaming Commission.

Three members of the Gaming Commission visited the Mohawk Harbor site in Schenectady on Monday to take a look at the progress of construction on the casino, which Rush Street Gaming CEO Greg Carlin says is ahead of schedule.

The $330 million casino is going up fast, with the adjacent parking garage also taking shape. Gaming Commission member John Poklemba said the commission, which awarded licenses to three upstate casinos in December, is pleased with the project.

“They’re very far along,” Poklemba told the media alongside commissioners Peter Moschetti Jr. and Barry Sample as construction crews worked in the background. “We’re quite pleased with the progress that’s being made. As you know, this is all private investment. There’s not one state tax dollar being spent here.”

Carlin and Mary Cheeks, who will serve as the general manager of the Rivers Casino, joined the commissioners on site. Carlin said the mild winter put construction crews ahead of schedule.

Cheeks, who currently serves as chief financial officer of Rush Street’s Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, recently moved to Schenectady as the Chicago-based operator prepares to hire employees.

She said dealer school training will launch at the beginning of October and hiring for hundreds of positions would begin after that. The Rivers Casino posted dozens of job descriptions and is accepting resumes for some positions online at www.riverscasinoandresort.com.