Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady in New York has begun hiring the 1,000-plus employees it will require to operate. Local job fairs will take place in coming month, leading up to its scheduled opening early next year. Currently management is interviewing for dealer positions; a no-cost dealer school will begin October 17, with a poker option starting October 24. Prior dealer experience is not required and applicants must be 21or older. Rivers Casino will pay the gaming license fees for all hired team members.
General Manager Mary Cheeks said being a great dealer takes a lot of practice plus a great personality. It’s a position that could lead to a gaming industry career, she added.
The $330 million property features 50,000 square foot of gaming space with 1,157 slots, 66 table games and 15 poker tables. An on-site hotel will offer 163 guest rooms plus a 10,000 square foot banquet facility that can accommodate 600 people. The property also will have a steakhouse, a marketplace with light-fare dining options, an entertainment lounge and a day spa.
Casino officials are soliciting local businesses to participate in the casino, said Scott Clay, Rivers Casino director of community relations. He explained, “We feel that there are significant opportunities for local businesses, and we want to get the word out as we look to procure various goods and services. We want to be inclusive to local businesses in that process.”
Several informational sessions have been held around the region and more are scheduled, to provide potential vendors information about working in the gaming industry, including licensing requirements for casino vendors through the state gaming commission.
The casino resort will require equipment, office supplies, flooring, badges, uniforms, landscaping, IT services and limousine services, among others. “Everything from poker chips to peanut butter,” Clay said.
Cheeks added, “These informational sessions offer a great opportunity to converse with potential vendors, and we want to make sure that anyone interested in working with the casino knows what to expect. This is one of the many ways Rivers will branch out into the community and provide even more economic opportunity for the region.”
Clay stated, “So far, the outpouring that we’ve received from the community has been fantastic. We want to be good corporate partners, we want to be good community partners, and doing that is making sure that we’re extending opportunities, not only for employment, but making sure that local businesses can do business with us.”
