New general manager named for Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady

Rick Richards joins Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady after working as vice president and general manager at Station Casinos, overseeing a portfolio of properties in Nevada. He has worked in several roles across a 40-year career that’s included stops at Caesars Palace and Bally’s Hotel & Casino.

He has received approval of the New York State Gaming Commission and will start his new role this Friday, parent company Rush Street Gaming announced Thursday.

“We’re excited to welcome Rick to the Rush Street family. He’s learned the casino and hotel business from the ground up with particular expertise around guest experience, team building, and performance all of which are key areas of alignment and strength for Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady,” said Greg Carlin, CEO of Rush Street Gaming.

Richards will lead the Mohawk Harbor casino and its popular complement—The Landing Hotel—following the recent departure of Justin Moore. In April, Moore was named general manager of Rivers Casino Philadelphia.

After stepping in briefly as acting general manager, Jeff Cutri returns to his role as VP of Gaming Operations at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady.

Before a six-month COVID shutdown in 2020, Rivers Schenectady had a workforce of about 1,050. It reopened with limited operations and a smaller staff in September and has been rebuilding staff, operations and revenue back since then.

It took in $167 million in gross gaming revenue — gross profit after paying gamblers their winnings — in fiscal year 2019-2020. The largest single source of revenue was the $1.4 billion in credits played on the casino’s 1,150 slot machines.