Schenectady

Gross gaming revenues fell to $2.79 million in the week ending March 12 at the recently opened Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady. That's down nearly 10 percent from the previous week's total, which was down nearly 11 percent from the totals the week before that.

Gross gaming revenues is the amount left over after winnings are paid, but before taxes and other expenses, such as wages.

For its first month of operation, Rivers had gross gaming revenue of $10,805,499. Of that, $3,839,817 was to be paid in gaming taxes, with $3,071,853 earmarked for state education/property tax relief. Schenectady city and county will each receive $191,991, while Albany County will get $131,994, Fulton County, will get $24,095, and Montgomery County will get $21,790.

Rensselaer County will get $69,176, Saratoga County $95,287, Schoharie County $14,210, and Washington County $27,429.

Payments are made quarterly, said Lee Park, a spokesman for the state Gaming Commission.

So far, the casino hasn't reached the $4.28 million weekly average figure that was projected in an economic impact study by New Orleans-based The Innovation Group.

But that figure was for 2019, and by then the casino hotel should be open and construction at the neighboring Mohawk Harbors completed.

It's also not clear whether bus tours to the casino have yet started. That also can be a lucrative source of revenues.

And while the poker room at Rivers has been consistently popular — lines formed the very first day the casino was open — it produces just a fraction of total gross gaming revenues, 4.7 percent for the first five weeks.

"We continue to be pleased by the performance of the casino and the excitement exhibited by our guests," a casino spokesperson said Friday afternoon. "We are constantly making adjustments to our gaming, entertainment and dining options to better serve our guests. We look forward to continuing to provide the best guest experience and raise the bar, including when we open our hotel in the summer."

Saratoga Casino — Hotel also saw a drop in net win in most recent week, ending March 11, down 3.3 percent from the previous week to $2,752,249. Saratoga Casino — Hotel has topped $3 million in net win just once since the Rivers Casino opened.

Unlike Rivers, Saratoga doesn't have live dealers or croupiers.

eanderson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5323