All Over Albany

Saratoga racino owners turn attention to East Greenbush for potential full casino, Troy city engineer resigns, Francesca's is closing

The owners of the Saratoga Casino and Raceway (AKA the racino) said Monday they have decided to not pursue a full casino for the Saratoga area -- and instead will focus on trying to build a casino in East Greenbush. The owners tell the Times Union that they've bought land in the town near the FedEx distribution center off Route 4. Saratoga had been looking like a bad bet because the Saratoga Springs city council had voted against a resolution in favor of a casino -- but the East Greenbush board recently passed a resolution generally in favor of a casino, and the town supervisor said the potential revenue is a consideration. The reaction around Saratoga: a little bit of everything. [Saratogian] [TU] [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Albany Common Council president Carolyn McLaughlin on the council's consideration of a resolution supporting the proposed E23 casino project in the city, in light of the East Greenbush news, to the Biz Review: "To know there is definitely a proposal coming out of East Greenbush, to me that should spark some urgency among council members ... We have to shake the dust off our feet and keep moving. We've got to get some answers here." (Speaking of E23 -- Chris Churchill wonders about the trustworthiness of the developer pushing the project.) [Biz Review] [TU]

The city of Schenectady is looking at possible zoning changes necessary if a casino is proposed there. [Daily Gazette]

Troy's city engineer, Russ Reeves, is resigning, a move prompted in part by recent demolition work at the former King Fuels site -- near a gas line -- that wasn't reviewed by his department. The city has also been the subject of recent FBI review of multiple projects, including the emergency demolition of the building next to Bombers. Said Reeves of his decision to leave the city job: "I've got to protect my license." [Troy Record] [TU]

Albany police say a man was found shot in West Hill Monday afternoon (map). APD says he was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, and they're investigating. [APD FB]

The Columbia County orthodontist who tried to scam the IRS out of $36 million as part of the "sovereign citizen" movement was sentenced to more than 8 years in prison. (But he at least he knows the definition of the term "baby mama" now.) [TU]

Schenectady police say a man was found dead in a car in the GE Realty Plot neighborhood -- they say the death doesn't appear suspicious. [Daily Gazette] [News10]

Watervliet Junior-Senior High School was closed -- after students had already arrived -- because of two bomb threats. The school district says nothing suspicious was found. [TU]

The popular Francesca's Cafe in downtown Troy is closing. Owner Francesca Tutunjian, the wife of former mayor Harry Tutunjian, said it's time to do something else after 12 years. (The TU says she's going to work for the Rensselaer County Health Department.) [Francesca's Cafe FB] [Troy Record] [TU]