The Mohawk Harbor development project aims to make the City of Schenectady not only a great place to work, but to live as well. The Rivers Casino & Resort at the Mohawk Harbor site is currently hiring employees in preparation for its opening next year. As part of the city’s “Walk to Work” initiative, the hope is for new casino workers to become Schenectady homeowners, and for those homeowners to live within walking distance of their workplace and downtown.
An original rendering of Rivers Casino & Resort
Located near the Mohawk River, the Rivers Casino & Resort was created by Rush Street Gaming and the Galesi Group (the developer of the Mohawk Harbor project). The casino will feature a 50,000-square-foot gaming floor with 1,157 slot machines, 66 gaming tables, and 15 poker tables. The casino will be attached to a hotel and banquet facility.
The Rivers Casino & Resort is set to officially open in the first quarter of 2017, but the casino has only filled around 40% of its open positions. A wide variety of jobs are still available, and there has been a push to encourage prospective and new employees to consider a permanent residence in Schenectady.
Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy’s “Walk to Work” initiative has promoted a community in which people are able to live, work, and play without having to drive through the city. Walkability and accessibility are important factors for potential homeowners, and the Rivers Casino & Resort is in a prime location.
According to a News10 article, there are at least 40 marketable homes for sale within walking distance of the Rivers Casino & Resort. Through the “Walk to Work” initiative, there are efforts to sell these vacant homes to new casino employees and fill up neighborhoods.
Empty and rundown properties are all too common in the city, but this initiative could help change that. McCarthy told News10, “So by getting individuals who own their property, they maintain it; they care about increasing the value. They worry about the neighborhood.”
Of course, the first step to owning a house is having a paying job, and the Rivers Casino & Resort will likely bring in about 1,000 new jobs to Schenectady, ranging from dealers to other positions in the casino and hotel. Go to “riverscasinoandresort.com/careers” for more details.
Want to learn more about the Mohawk Harbor project? Check out the latest updates about the Harbor Center >>
Source:
- News 10 – Schenectady mayor pushes housing initiative for new Rivers Casino employees
