Workers relate stories of Rush Street experience

PHOTOGRAPHER: Haley Viccaro

Several employees from Rush Street Gaming’s casinos in Pennsylvania and Illinois spoke about their experiences working for the company during a public hearing on Monday.

The union group Unite HERE brought workers to speak about the poor work environment and lack of benefits, while Rush Street had several employees tell stories of friendships and rewards.

Rosaura Villanueva is a dishwasher at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, outside of Chicago. She said Rush Street, the company pitching a casino in Schenectady, wouldn’t provide health coverage for her 21-month-old son.

“I tried to get my son on the company health insurance but I was told I’m not able to enroll him until open enrollment,” she said as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Villanueva was joined by other employees at Rush Street’s Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and SugarHouse casino in Philadelphia. They told similar stories to the Gaming Facility Location Board, which is tasked with choosing sites for a casino next month. The hearing was held at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road.

Trevor Benyack, a bartender at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, said his hours were cut from an average of 40 a week to 30.

“Now I’m not eligible for health care, and they decided to blame it on Obamacare,” he said. “There are several of us trying to keep our benefits and working to form a union.”

Glenn McClain, a security shift manager at Rush Street’s SugarHouse Casino, said he is saddened to hear some of his coworkers’ negative comments about the company. He said the casino is the best place he has ever worked.

“I have never seen a company do so much for their employees,” he said. “You’re not going to make everyone happy. But I get up every morning and cannot wait to get to work. You will see the positive benefits in Schenectady too.”

The Galesi Group of Rotterdam is working with Rush Street on the proposed $330 million Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor, which is pitched for the former Alco site off Erie Boulevard.

During the casino hearing Monday morning, the developers announced prospective business partnerships with the Mallozzi Group, Paul Mitchell The School Schenectady, Mad Jack Brewing Co. and the Mohawk Golf Club.

The Mallozzi Group would operate the banquet facility and other restaurants on site, and the Paul Mitchell School plans to expand with a new salon at Mohawk Harbor.

To show their support, the Mallozzi family baked a special cake for the hearing featuring a giant image of the proposed casino and hotel. The cake had “Schenectady Is Ready” written along the bottom.

Dozens of people who support the Schenectady project wore teal shirts that read “We support Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor” on the front, and “Schenectady Is Ready” on the back.

They gathered around the cake and cut into it together while posing for a photo-op with the media. They chanted, “Schenectady is ready” and brought that enthusiasm with them before the Gaming Facility Location Board throughout the day.

“This is a sound, professional business model,” said Chamber of Schenectady County President Chuck Steiner. “This has the potential to shift our entire regional economy in a positive way. This will be a driving force in our downtown area.”