Rivers Casino Says It’s Opening a Luxury Hotel in Fishtown This Year

A rendering of the new Rivers Casino hotel in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia (image via Rivers Casino)

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Rivers Casino Says It’s Opening a Luxury Philadelphia Hotel in Fishtown This Year

Philadelphia has seen no shortage of hotel projects in recent years. And now, we have another. Rivers Casino (nee Sugarhouse Casino) just announced that it will unveil a new “luxury boutique” hotel later this year.

The new Fishtown hotel will be called Riversuites. The waterfront hotel will be located in the Battery, a mixed-use development in a former PECO power station that’s under construction in Fishtown, right across Penn Treaty Park from the casino:

Red Marks the Spot: The location of Riversuites, the new waterfront hotel in Fishtown from Rivers Casino (Google Maps)

You’ll be able to stay in one of 62 suites that will average 852 square feet each. That’s huge, relatively speaking. And some of the suites will be upwards of 2,200 square feet.

Don’t want to eat out at one of Fishtown’s many great restaurants like Pizzeria Beddia, Kalaya, and Suraya, all of which are within a quick walk? No worries. A full kitchen is provided in each and every suite. Some suites will offer patios and bi-level lofts. The new Fishtown hotel will also offer an indoor basketball court and a pool table.

There aren’t exactly a lot of Philadelphia hotels within walking distance of the casino, the aforementioned restaurants, or venues like Brooklyn Bowl and the Fillmore. So this could be a game-changer for tourism in the neighborhood. As if Fishtown residents weren’t already annoyed enough with all the crowds and traffic.

So Much for Those Public Toilets

Intrepid Inquirer reporter Stephanie Farr definitely took one for the team based on this Twitter thread (for those of you still on Twitter). Sometimes I’m jealous when another journalist in the market gets a good, uh, scoop. But Stephanie can have this one.

Law & Order: The Avian Crimes Unit

Who in God’s good and holy name would put poison in bird feeders?! Naturally, this happened in Bucks County. Used to be such a nice place to visit.

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People With a Conspiracy Mindset Resist Childhood Vaccination

In Case You Haven’t Broken Up with Wawa

Here are the healthiest things you can eat there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, according to a dietician. Alas, my Meatball Shorti Parmesan didn’t make the cut.

By the Numbers

6 percent: Increase in tuition at Rutgers University for the upcoming academic year, in part thanks to newly negotiated four-year faculty contracts.

2026: Year the self-explanatorily named First Bank of the United States in Old City is expected to reopen as a museum of American economic history. Now that will really get those tourists to come back.

$229: What a last-minute ticket to Beyoncé at the Linc tonight will cost you, meaning you could easily spend more on Ubers to and from, beers, and tour merch combined than on an actual ticket to the show.

And from the Hot-Hot-Hot Sports Desk …

So, you’re wondering how the Phils performed in last night’s All-Star game in Seattle, with Rob Thomson managing the NL team? Pretty goddamn well, thank you very much. Nick Castellanos came up in the sixth inning, and the Fox commentators said nice things about the Phils, even though he struck out. They did admire his swing! He also led off the eighth and walked, with the American League up 2-1, and took second on a wild pitch by José Bautista, then scored on a homer by Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, who was playing in his first All-Star game. Everyone in the dugout was very happy.

Big Nick also singled with a man on in the top of the ninth with two outs but was stranded there. Kimbrel in to pitch the bottom half! He gave up a long fly ball by Wander Franco that was caught on the track, a strikeout to Home Run Derby champ Vlad Guerrero Jr., and a walk to Kyle Tucker. And to Seattle Mariner Julio Rodriguez? Another walk, that brought Jose Ramirez to the plate. And Kimbrel struck him out, for the NL’s first All-Star win since 2012! You couldn’t script it any better.

Craig Kimbrel hell yeah pic.twitter.com/O7HMgU6HkT

— John Foley (@2008Philz) July 12, 2023

The question really demands to be asked:

Is there anything @GrittyNHL can’t do? …… Nope. pic.twitter.com/wYKkSGWVXt

— Albert Lee (@urphillypal) July 11, 2023

And in Doop News …

The Union have signed coach Jim Curtin, a native of Oreland who played high-school soccer for Bishop McDevitt and college ball for Villanova, to a new contract that runs through 2026. This is very good doop news! Not so good: a terribly sad story about the U’s Olivier Mbaizo, who has asked the team to trade him to a different country because his wife and son can’t get U.S. visas to join him here from their native Cameroon. Last year, he became the first Union active player ever named to a World Cup team.

They play second-place Nashville SC tonight at 8:30 in Tennessee. (We’re in sixth place, if you were wondering.) Also tonight: The U.S. Men take on Panama at 7:30 in San Diego for the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

All Philly Today Sports Desk coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.