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RIVERS CASINO PITTSBURGH’S BALLROOM MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

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Rivers Casino
Press Release
Oct 04, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

RIVERS CASINO PITTSBURGH’S BALLROOM MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

A decade full of galas, corporate events, weddings, special occasions … and a world record

 

PITTSBURGH — Oct. 4, 2021 — From “Dance Moms” to discos, “Thunder from Down Under” to network casting calls, corporate meetings, mixers and more. It’s been a busy decade at Rivers Casino’s riverfront ballroom, which opened 10 years ago this week.

 

For Pittsburgh event-goers, Rivers Casino’s ballroom has become a mainstay. For many, it’s hard to remember when Rivers didn’t have event space. The casino’s gaming floor opened in August 2009, and its first ballroom was completed approximately two years later.

 

A sewing convention was first to book the ballroom. Since then, “Big Brother,” “Shark Tank” and “Amazing Race” all have held cast auditions in Rivers Casino’s ballroom. The Pittsburgh-based reality show “Dance Moms” hosted its red carpet third-season premiere there. Past Rivers ballroom headliner performances have included Air Supply, Lee Greenwood, Eddie Money, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Brad Garrett, and Sandra Bernhard. Corporations have held various seminars, offsite training sessions, and annual meetings. The Women’s Professional Billiards Association even made Rivers Casino’s ballroom the site of the organization’s first-ever Pittsburgh tournament.

 

More than 500 “I DOs”

 

Rivers Casino’s ballroom was an immediate hit with wedding planners and brides-to-be and remains a popular site for nuptials and receptions. The 10,000-square-foot banquet room features panoramic views of Pittsburgh’s skyline, Point State Park, the Ohio River, and Mount Washington.  

 

Notable weddings have included the first local couple—David and Bianca Goodwin of Moon Township—who of course celebrate their tenth anniversary this year; Tony & Tina’s Wedding, an interactive dinner and theater show; and Meghan & Harry’s wedding—a viewing party that featured the main event across the pond … and a Queen Elizabeth lookalike working the crowd.

 

The ballroom’s 1,000-square-foot balcony is a popular spot for photographers to capture the wedding party with a Pittsburgh backdrop from a perspective unique to the casino. The ballroom accommodates up to 350 guests for banquet-style and 600 guests for reception-style.

 

World’s Largest Pierogi (Oct. 8 is National Pierogi Day)

 

For event planners, choosing a menu is just as important as choosing a venue. And nothing says custom in-house catering like a 123-pound pierogi.

 

The chefs at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh still hold the Guinness World Record for Largest Pierogi. The history-maker weighed in at 55.79 kilograms (123 lbs.) with exacting potato and doughy proportions. The champion pierogi was unveiled with special guests, The Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies, outside Rivers’ ballroom on Oct. 8, 2014. 

 

Creativity is key for personalizing events at Rivers. For 2017’s Pittsburgher of the Year honoree Kelley Frey, the chefs at Rivers Casino made a giant pink boxing glove cake, in recognition of her breast cancer fight. For Hines Ward’s surprise retirement party in 2013, the whole ballroom turned black & gold with ‘number 86’ projected onto the dance floor.

 

“We have a highly skilled team of chefs, culinary artists and special event managers right onsite,” said Andrea Kleinrock-Marmion, Rivers Casino’s Vice President of Food & Beverage. “We’ve been honored to host some of Pittsburgh’s biggest occasions and most memorable moments during our first 10 years. I can’t wait to see what the next decade brings.”

 

In 2019, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh expanded its facility and introduced The Event Center. Now, besides the original ballroom, an additional 25,000-square-foot grand hall, plus pre-function space, are available just down the corridor—creating added flexibility and more room for upsized events including concerts. The Event Center accommodates up to 850 guests for banquet-style and 2,000 guests for reception-style. Headliners in The Event Center have included Kool & The Gang, KC and The Sunshine Band, and Jay Leno.

 

To further cement Rivers Casino as a destination property, construction is currently underway for The Landing Hotel Pittsburgh, a 219-room, all-new, seven-story hotel immediately adjacent to the main casino building. The Landing Hotel Pittsburgh is expected to open sometime in 2022.

 

For more information about reserving the Rivers Casino Pittsburgh ballroom or The Event Center, visit RiversCasino.com or call 412-566-4486.

 

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ABOUT RIVERS CASINO PITTSBURGH
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, located on the city’s North Shore and open 24/7, is one of Western Pennsylvania’s premier gaming and entertainment destinations. Rivers offers over 2,500 slot machines and 129 table games—including a 30-table poker room and 55 hybrid gaming seats. Home of BetRivers Sportsbook, Pittsburgh’s first and only licensed sportsbook, Rivers is the spot for any and all sports fans and bettors. Other amenities include a diverse lineup of eight distinct bars and restaurants, including Martorano’s Prime, the new Italian-American steakhouse by celebrity cook Steve Martorano, and a 25,000 square foot, second-level Event Center that hosts concerts, weddings, and more. For additional information and current offerings, please visit RiversCasino.com/Pittsburgh.

 

MEDIA CONTACT 

Hunter Dougherty

For Rivers Casino Pittsburgh

267-884-2307

[email protected]

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