SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Construction on the Rivers Casino in Schenectady is moving along ahead of schedule and Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul got a look at the progress.
"This is a great day," said Hochul, D-New York. "I just wanted a progress report and I feel very confident that we are on schedule and the future of the area is very bright."
"This whole project started before the casino. There was over a million square feet of buildings we had to tear down," said David Buicko, President and CEO of The Galesi Group. "This was an abandoned factory."
The Schenectady casino is one of three across the state awarded with a gaming license so far.
"We'll have 1,050 slot machines, 63 tables, 16 poker tables and an entertainment lounge," said Joe Scibetta, Vice President of Operations Rush Street Gaming.
The project also includes a 163-room hotel and banquet hall capable of hosting 600 people.
Prior to the announcement, The Galesi Group broke ground on a $150 million project adjacent to the casino. The 60 acre space includes a 124-room Courtyard by Marriott.
"We were doing this with or without a casino," explained Buicko.
The property will also host retail shops and a mix of condos, town houses, and apartments.
"People like to live where they work, and we're going to try and tie this in with a transportation network and biking, so that if you work downtown, you can just hop onto your bike and you'll be downtown in about a matter of three minutes," saqid Buicko.
With revitalization happening downtown, Mayor Gary McCarthy anticipates a re-charge of the Electric City as well; making it a desirable place to live work and play.
"We're a doing this in a manner to compliment what we are doing downtown," said McCarthy, D-Schenectady.
If the weather cooperates as it has been, construction of the casino should be complete by March 2017.