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Schenectady, New York (Gambling911.com) - A glowing report released this week highlights just how vital Rivers Casino Schenectady has been to the New York city's growth and revitalization over the past decade.
When Phillip Morris first became CEO of Proctors Collaborative, downtown Schenectady looked far different than it does today.
"It’s not overstating to say that downtown was a ghost town," Morris told the local Spectrum news outlet there.
Proctors Collaborative is the nonprofit umbrella arts organization based in Schenectady that operates Proctors and several other major arts institutions across New York's Capital Region. It's broader than just “Proctors Theatre.”
The small post-industrial city of about 69,500 people, roughly 15 miles northwest of Albany, on the Mohawk River has played an enormously important role in American electrical engineering and locomotive manufacturing. It was famously nicknamed “The City That Lights and Hauls the World.”
The serious structural decline began shortly after World War II as residents moved to the suburbs and the city's two enormous industrial employers began shrinking.
By the 1960's American Locomotive Company (ALCO), once one of the city's signature employers, shut its Schenectady operations in 1969. At the same time, GE increasingly moved manufacturing elsewhere. This dealt a tremendous blow to the city.
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With Rivers Casino Schenectady approaching its 10th anniversary, the property has played a pivotal role in that city's modern-day renaissance and transformation.
"We fit into a puzzle and we know it. And they are a piece of the puzzle," Morris said of Rivers.
Morris described the relationship between Proctors and the casino as mutually beneficial.
"Rivers buys subscriptions. They participate in our shows. They help sponsor some things. We do things with them," he said.
Not only that, Rivers employs roughly 700–900 people currently.
Rivers Casino Schenectady regularly provides updates and outreach to Gambling911.com, which in turn helps promote the property and its offerings.
The gambling news site with strong readership in the Schenectady region last month showcased the upcoming Rivers Casino’s Dealer Training Class, with its $5,000 value offered FREE of charge, that is set to kick off Monday, October 5, at the Rivers Casino Training & Development Center located at 1473 Erie Boulevard, Schenectady, NY 12305.
As of Aug. 3, more than $3.2 million in casino revenue had been directed to the county this year, according to the state Comptroller's Office.
Joe Lodise, general manager of Rivers Casino, said the casino sees itself as part of a broader network of attractions drawing people to the area.
"We look at it as a kind of a symbiotic relationship. Different people come to the area for different reasons. Proctors is a big reason. We’re a big reason," Lodise said.
He said the casino’s leadership and employees take pride in its role in Schenectady’s development.
"Real amazing what’s developed here over time," Lodise said. "But, you know, we’re very proud to be the catalyst of that. And our team members feel immense pride in that because they live and work here in the community."
For more information on Rivers Casino Schenectady, visit their website here.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
