Jump to the intro.
All the games being played were for training, a dry run for the opening.
There are a lot of slot machines.
Duke's is the casino's high-end steak house. It, like the other food options, is being run by the Mallozzi Restaurant Group.
Those are old Schenectady photos on the wall.
The high-limit games are set off to the side in their own area.
The lounge for the high-limit area.
At one of the end of the casino floor there's a food court with a handful of options.
There's a poker room set off to the side.
A casual bar area with pool tables and a small stage.
Most of the table games -- like blackjack -- are in the middle of the casino floor.
The casino also has a large ballroom space, just across from the hotel (which is not yet ready).
The ballroom is said to be able to accommodate 900 for a conference and 600 for dinner.
The windows in the back of the space look out onto the Mohawk River.
____
So, this is kind of loopy, but we found ourselves being drawn to the carpet and flooring around the casino. (Maybe we just needed a visual break.) So here's a bonus tour of the various flooring patterns.
The Rivers Casino and Resort is set to open next Wednesday, February 8 at the Mohawk Harbor site on Erie Boulevard in Schenectady -- as you've no doubt heard.
There was a tour for members of the media yesterday as the casino continued its final preparations and trainings. So we went to have a gawk at the project that's gotten so much hype since the state's December 2014 selection of Rush Street Gaming to build and run a casino at the site.
Here are a bunch of photos...
Look up
Photos are at the top in large format -- click or scroll all the way up.
Earlier
+ Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady picked for Capital Region casino (2014)
+ New set of renderings for the Schenectady casino
+ A glimpse into the workings of the casino
Find It
Rivers Casino and Resort
1 Rush Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
The Scoop
For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.
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Comments
Sure, it looks like every casino, everywhere -- but wait until it's full of all those glamorous high rollers. That's when the magic happens, baby.
... said Rob on Feb 2, 2017 at 12:58 PM | link
Will there be enough patrons to support this place? I'm afraid this place is going to be mostly empty a majority of the time.
... said John on Feb 2, 2017 at 3:17 PM | link
The sign out front says it all. GET OUT!
I've heard casino carpets are purposefully ugly, so people look away from them and keep their eyes on the games.
... said Ryan H on Feb 2, 2017 at 4:29 PM | link
Place looks great and beyond the site redevelopment, the company has begun to provide financial support to local endeavors. I can understand if you personally dislike gambling, but as another form of recreation one must pay for, it can be quite enjoyable. I wish them luck and hope that Saratoga's electronic casino continues to evolve.
Regarding the carpeting, the loud designs are meant to disorient the gambler. Like complimentary beverages at the table. The house always works to get an additional edge...
... said ace on Feb 3, 2017 at 9:03 AM | link
That's neat. It is even more gaudy than I could have ever imagined.
I understand now how people from Troy felt about the construction of the EMPAC and how jarring it is to see in a city with a fairly distinct architectural style, but at least EMPAC provides some sort of public good. This is just to going to siphon money from the city's residents.
... said jm on Feb 3, 2017 at 10:15 AM | link
Get rid of that steel company looks like crap takes away the beauty of the casino make it a park or parking lot
... said Ken on Feb 3, 2017 at 12:36 PM | link
While I'm the last person to think a casino is a great economic engine for a community, especially one such as Schenectady with low median incomes, I am ecstatic that this site is being redeveloped at the level it is. It's easy to talk negatively about the casino and all of the potential pitfalls it brings with it, but this redevelopment (a brownfield site that has sat vacant for decades mind you) doesn't happen without the inclusion of the casino as an anchor. The construction of the harbor, mixed-use condos, townhomes, hotel, arboretum and other ancillary developments represent an almost $500 million investment in this city, reconnecting residents to the waterfront, bringing regional businesses in and extending the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Hike Trail. I'm hopeful that the site as a whole will be a great success, bringing in people from across the state and beyond, and contributing to the progress Schenectady has made in the past 15 years.
... said theshakes on Feb 3, 2017 at 4:09 PM | link
I've always been slightly obsessed with the weird carpets in places like this. Much appreciated.
... said AnotherAmanda on Feb 3, 2017 at 5:13 PM | link
Do they provide free cocktails to patrons?
... said Lu on Feb 4, 2017 at 8:09 AM | link
Looks like an airport and a hotel had a baby in the early '90s.
... said sara on Feb 5, 2017 at 2:03 PM | link
That giant sucking sound you hear is the sound of every social security check within 50 miles getting vacuumed into the hands of the private casino investors. If you can't grow the economy at least profit off its losers.
... said FullTiltAlbany on Feb 6, 2017 at 7:40 AM | link
Are there bike racks outside or somewhere to keep bikes locked up?
... said jake on Feb 8, 2017 at 4:17 PM | link