January 21, 1969: Town Board of Guilderland voted unanimously to approve the leasing by the Town’s Urban Renewal Agency of the Voorheesville Army Depot to Francesco and Vincent Galesi. The Depot had been idle since 1965 before Galesi transformed the 30 buildings and 31 miles of rail into the Northeastern Industrial Park.
February 1969: Galesi purchases the Schenectady General Depot and converts into the Rotterdam Corporate Park
1970: The conversion of these properties, totaling over 8 million square feet, subsequently led Mr. Galesi into the third party logistics industry and Distribution Unlimited was formed. Today Distribution Unlimited is the largest warehousing and transloading complex in the Northeast.
1983: After closing its doors in 1976, restoration work on the Equinox Hotel began. The Equinox project was the largest renovation ever done in the State of Vermont and included the development and sale of condominium units as well as the completion of a 13,000 SF health spa and a championship 18 hole golf course.
1985: Galesi purchases the Scotia Naval Depot and converts facility into the Glenville Business and Technology Park
1990: Distribution Unlimited becomes full- service third-party logistics provider and expands services to include liquid and dry bulk transfer, transload services, rail freight handling, and value added services,
1991: Galesi contracts with State of New York to redevelop former Harlem River Rail Yards in the Bronx
1996: Galesi expands its operations and opens a development office in Austin, Texas upon its purchase of the Harris Branch Planned Unit Development (PUD).
2000: Galesi forms E&B Natural Resources Management Corp, engaging in the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas in California, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas and Wyoming.
2001: Galesi spearheads redevelopment of former Green Island Ford Motor Site and convert facility into Island Park
Collectively Galesi’s Industrial Parks represent 12 million square feet on over 1,100 acres
2009: Galesi “goes green” by forming Green Planet Products, the official bulk distributor of environmentally friendly products that are made of biodegradable renewable resources
The “green” product line includes bio-synthetic oil and lubricants for automotive and power equipment as well as plant-based cleaning and appearance products for automotive and marine uses
April 1, 2010: The Galesi Group acquired one of the largest waterfront parcels in the region and purchased the vacant American Locomotive Company (ALCO) site. At that time the property consisted of over 1,000,000 square feet of dilapidated rundown buildings, tax liens, and environmental challenges.
Galesi proceeded to demolish the buildings working with NYS DEC under the Brownfield Program to remediate the site. The vision was to create a mixed use urban development to include residential apartments, condos, office buildings, retail and hotels. A new 3.25 acre harbor was constructed, one of the largest on the Canal, with 50 dock slips.
November 2013: NYS Voters Approve a Constitutional amendment to authorize up to seven non-indian casinos in New York State for the purposes of promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes through revenues generated.
When NYS passed legislation authorizing upstate casinos, Galesi with the support of local officials, businesses, and residents decided to pursue this opportunity. After interviewing numerous operators it was determined that Rush Street Gaming was the operator with the best reputation and track record in operating regional casino. The Schenectady casino application offered the best proposal with widespread community support and the creation of jobs and economic stimulus in one of New York’s most distressed and neediest urban communities while also supporting and enhancing a decade worth of private and public investment. The regional casino was the perfect complement to the $150 million investment that Galesi was making on the northern portion of the property.
December 17, 2014: New York State Gaming Facility Location Board selects Rivers Casino & Resort as one of New York State’s 1st commercial casinos.