Yesterday, July 12, Rivers Casino Philadelphia, owned by Rush Street Gaming, revealed that it will be adding a fantastic new update to its property in the form of a new 62-suite deluxe boutique hotel located within The Battery, a mixed-use lifestyle campus underway on Beach Street in Fishtown.

Layout of the future hotel:

The newest upcoming casino hotel will be called Riversuites and will be fully dedicated to providing the ultimate guest experience. In addition, it will inhabit 4 dedicated floors of The Battery’s existing adaptive reuse venue, making it a rarity for a Philadelphia waterfront hotel. As for reservations, it is possible that the casino will start accepting them as early as this fall.

As for the guest suites, they are large by hotel standards, each averaging 854 square feet, with even bigger options up to 2,266 square feet. Furthermore, guests can choose between 1, 2 and 3 bedroom accommodation. Each suite has a fully equipped kitchen, and few apartment-style suites include terraces or split-level lofts, with bedrooms upstairs and kitchen and living room below. In this regard, Eric Althaus, general manager of the casino, said: “VIPs and out-of-town guests have long inquired about overnight stays at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, and they’re about to get a penthouse-style option. We’re thrilled to introduce this entirely unexpected luxury suites collection — that’s exclusive to Rivers Philly.”

One of the most beautiful views of the Delaware River expands far beyond the New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores past the Ben Franklin Bridge. Beside this, on the side of the street, which runs parallel to the aforementioned river, guests have a great opportunity to experience the beauty of the Fishtown, one of Philadelphia’s coolest neighborhoods. Fishtown has a thriving cultural and culinary offering and highly walk-able streets, meaning the guests will be close to trendy cafes, restaurants, distilleries, craft brew-houses, galleries, retail stores and other recreation.

Commenting on the upcoming hotel, Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rivers Casino and Rush Street Gaming, said: “A hotel addition for Rivers Casino Philadelphia has always been part of the master plan for our Fishtown property. The location and grandeur of The Battery allowed us to join a neighboring parcel, already in progress, with historic Philly significance.” However, the proximity to Fishtown, connection to the casino itself and panoramic views are not the only things that the future hotel can boast of. In addition to these, it offers other unconventional and traditional perks, such as: co-working spaces, lobby gathering spaces, a pool table and an indoor basketball court.

The Battery renovation:

The Battery is an architecturally stunning design in the Beaux-Arts classical revival style by renowned turn-of-the-century Philadelphia architect John Windrim. Additionally, Windrim’s unique portfolio also involves The Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Provost’s Residence at Penn. As for the 11-acre Beach Street venue, previously known as the Delaware Power Station, it started operating as the PECO power plant in the early 1900s. By the 1950s, it was the utility firm’s biggest, supplying electricity to almost half of Philadelphia. The eight 167-foot-tall chimneys will stay as historic architectural features. However, in modern times, The Battery is a $154 million renovation initiative currently being led by Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds, its owner based in Philadelphia.

Moreover, the active phase of the renovation plan involves 135,000 square meters of office space, 173 apartments and 100,000 square meters of event space, in addition to the aforementioned upcoming hotel. In this regard, speaking about the renovation plan, Leonard Klehr, vice chairman of Lubert-Adler, said: “We saw in the old PECO power plant an opportunity to create a spectacular experience on Philadelphia’s waterfront that could be a home for both a residential community as well as an eclectic mix of commercial enterprises that will draw people to an area of the city that has until now been underused. It is very exciting to see our vision for this project come to fruition, with our first residents moving in and Rivers Casino announcing its plans for a beautiful new hotel overlooking the river, and we are thrilled to welcome them to The Battery.” The casino’s 22-acre waterfront facility already links to The Battery through the Delaware Riverwalk through Penn Treaty Park’s way. So the two properties are an eight-minute walk or a five-minute drive away. Therefore, Rivers will run a free 24/7 shuttle with 24/7 security and will provide 24/7 valet parking.

New job opportunities:

The upcoming hotel is a $7 million privately financed investment. It will add over 40 full-time hospitality jobs to the casino’s existing workforce of more than 1,100 workers, and is projected to open by the end of this year.

The project designer is the Koo Architecture of Chicago and the architect for The Battery is Strada of Philadelphia.