News

July 26, 2017

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady Celebrates the Grand Opening of The Landing Hotel, the Capital Region’s Newest Upscale Boutique Destination

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady celebrated the grand opening of The Landing Hotel with a VIP event and Vegas-style magic show that left guests spellbound.

The Landing Hotel is the area’s newest boutique destination, featuring upscale accommodations, amenities and unrivaled views of the Mohawk River. Rivers Casino & Resort General Manager, Mary Cheeks, was joined by development and construction partners, community and business leaders, elected officials, and team members, including The Landing Hotel General Manager, Ryan Cimei, for the official opening of the 165-room property.

The Landing’s opening festivities included a performance by ultra-magician and illusionist, Steve Wyrick, who, for his finale, made a full-size helicopter appear from thin air in a spectacular “landing” for the official launch.

“We wanted the grand opening of The Landing Hotel to be amazing and unlike anything Schenectady has ever seen to let our guests know that when they come to Rivers Casino and The Landing Hotel, they can expect unparalleled entertainment and a world-class experience,” said Rivers Casino & Resort General Manager, Mary Cheeks. “Having Vegas headliner Steve Wyrick perform his magical ‘landing’ of a helicopter on our stage was the perfect way to launch this hotel and its ‘showstopping’ features.”

“Our entire team is energized and excited to welcome and serve guests and provide them with the first-class experience The Landing Hotel has promised to deliver,” said The Landing Hotel General Manager, Ryan Cimei. “The events leading up to the grand opening have built a tremendous amount of momentum, rooms have been booking up, and it’s fantastic to celebrate this special moment that so many people have been working so hard to make a reality.”

Ron Baumann, COO of Rush Street Gaming, parent company for Rivers and The Landing Hotel, noted that Schenectady is a perfect fit for Rush Street’s philosophy of being a catalyst in urban areas and contributing to the transformation of a region.  He said, “Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady and The Landing Hotel are now an integral part of the renaissance of Schenectady and its future as an entertainment destination in the Capital Region. The jaw-dropping entertainment visitors experienced at the grand opening of The Landing Hotel is a great example of the type of unique experiences guests can expect from us.”

“Schenectady is coming to life with an exciting array of new developments.  The opening of the Capital Region’s only full-service casino, and now, The Landing Hotel, an upscale boutique property, will greatly contribute the growing reputation of Schenectady as an entertainment destination,” said David Buicko, President and CEO of the Galesi Group. “The Galesi Group’s development of Mohawk Harbor is one of the most dynamic development projects in New York State, and an extraordinary commitment to turn around one of America’s oldest industrial brownfields. Mohawk Harbor is a 60-acre waterfront community that integrates luxury living, retail, restaurants and commercial offices with our destination hotels and the Rivers Casino property.”

“Today, we celebrate the transformation of the Schenectady waterfront and a classy hotel that puts the ‘resort’ in Resort,” said Chairman of the Schenectady County Legislature, Anthony Jasenski. “I am proud of the economic development the county has seen, and Rivers Casino & Resort is having an immediate positive impact on our local economy.”

“Schenectady is being transformed each and every day and this project is as transformative as they come. We want to be a New York tourist destination and the opening of The Landing Hotel today signifies that we are on our way,” said Mayor of Schenectady, Gary McCarthy. “I am thrilled to see two major developments completed in the City within the past year and am excited to welcome millions of new visitors to the Electric City.”

The 165-room Landing Hotel is the final component of Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady to come online, and was developed in partnership with Rotterdam-based The Galesi Group.

The Landing Hotel is just steps from the Capital Region’s only full-service casino, with a state-of-the art mix of 1,150 slot machines, 67 table games and a 16-table poker room.  The hotel offers a state-of-the-art fitness center, chic lounge, outdoor patios and meeting space, as well as dining in the hotel lobby and bar area. Guests are able to order room service from any of the five restaurants at Rivers Casino & Resort, or book in-room treatments from Splash Spa.