The Oneida Nation Announces a $20 Million Investment in Turning Stone Resort Casino

The Oneida Nation today announced a $20 million dollar investment in its award-winning Turning Stone Resort Casino, one of the most extensive upgrade projects of the resort in its 23 year history. A tourism industry leader, the Oneida Nation consistently invests in the property to enhance the already exceptional guest experience, while also retaining everything guests love about their favorite gaming resort. The new project reflects Turning Stone’s renowned responsiveness to guests and its continued commitment to being a world-class destination. The significant investment includes new modernized features and amenities, including a brand new gaming floor with both smoke-free and smoker-friendly facilities with improved air quality and state-of-the-art air filtration systems. The investment also includes the addition of six new fast casual restaurants in an all-new Food Hall and new beautifully-appointed guest rooms in the AAA Four Diamond rated Tower hotel.

“Turning Stone is one of the leading tourist destinations in the region: we are deeply committed to world-class service and being responsive to our guests – and then matching that commitment with guest-driven investments. This new project reflects that legacy – it shows our dedication to offering superior amenities and consistently evolving and elevating the guest experience at Turning Stone,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO. “We have always been committed to the economic development and stability of our region and will continue to reinvest locally, work with our local trades and provide thousands of jobs for Central New Yorkers.”

ALL-NEW GAMING FLOOR

Phase one the new contemporary-style gaming floor will be revealed on November 16th with the grand opening of Casino Blu, a new casino concept within the existing gaming floor at Turning Stone, offering guests the best, and one of the only, smoker-friendly gaming floors in the region, with improved air quality and a new state-of-the-art air filtration system. Casino Blu will feature a variety of slot machines with a wide range of titles including Power Keno, Super Power Keno, Cleopatra Keno, Caveman Keno and many more, as well as popular table games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, 3 Card Poker, Let it Ride and Spanish 21. Bar Blu, a new cocktail lounge in Casino Blu, will feature six bar top video poker games, handcrafted cocktails and an extensive list of beers and spirits. With the grand opening of the smoker-friendly Casino Blu, the remainder of Turning Stone’s gaming floor will become smoke-free, giving both non-smoking and smoking guests the ability to choose their gaming experience based on their own personal preference. Turning Stone’s all new gaming floor will also include a brand new domestic high-limit area and the Golden Dragon, the new international high-limit gaming section, offering guests popular table games such as Midi Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker and Blackjack.

Intentionally staged in multiple phases to minimize the impact on guests, Turning Stone’s all-new gaming floor will be completed in early 2017. Gaming and all other operations at the resort will proceed as usual throughout the process.

THE NEW FOOD HALL

With a legacy of creating its own signature award-winning dining options, Turning Stone will open the new Food Hall in late December, offering guests six new fast casual restaurants. For this latest culinary project, Turning Stone has partnered with SixteenFifty Creative Intelligence, the same creative team behind the design of TS Steakhouse, Upstate Tavern, Tin Rooster, and Pino Bianco.

• Bun Heaven: Serving an extensive menu of juicy burgers made from 100 percent all natural beef on GMO free buns, Hofmann hot dogs, tasty sides including onion rings, sweet potato fries and tater tots, and delicious milkshakes and malts.
• The Funky Chicken: Serving fresh grilled and fried chicken dishes ranging from smothered fried chicken sandwich and grilled chicken cordon blue to two-, three- and 12-piece fried chicken entrees with sides.
• Sam's Delicatessen: Offering deli classics such as the featured Rueben sandwich and additional overstuffed sandwiches like corned beef, pastrami, turkey and roast beef, as well as matzo ball soup, salads and sides.
• Bad Burro Taco Shop: Offering a variety of fresh, made-to-order chicken, steak, pork or vegetable tacos and quesadillas, with sides ranging from chips and salsa to rice and beans.
• Hong Kong Kitchen: Featuring a menu of popular Asian entrees, including General Tso Chicken, beef and broccoli, shrimp in garlic sauce and sweet and sour pork, with tempting sides including fried rice and Chow Mein noodles, and appetizers such as egg rolls and chicken pot stickers.
• Wicked Good Pizza: The widely popular and successful brand from Turning Stone’s sister casino, Wicked Good Pizza will feature New York style, hand-tossed pizza, crispy chicken wings and a variety of pastas and sandwiches.

On Monday, November 14, Turning Stone will host a Food Hall job fair to hire for more than 80 full- and part-time culinary and restaurant positions, including several supervisory positions. Interested candidates can pre-register online and walk-ins are also welcome. Additional details, including pre-registration, can be found here.

Turning Stone’s all-new gaming floor and building of the new Food Hall has created 75 high-quality jobs for local trade workers and a continued reinvestment in the area by generating business for area companies.

NEW TOWER HOTEL ROOMS

Turning Stone is also underway with an extensive $8 million, floor-by-floor remodel of the 285 Tower hotel rooms, bringing a fresh, clean design to the property and introducing an entire floor of hypo-allergenic guest rooms. With 80 rooms remodeled already, the entire project is expected to be completed by summer 2018. Designed by Syracuse-based Zausmer Frisch Scruton & Aggarwal, the new rustic contemporary rooms feature hardwood floors, distressed furnishings from Stickley Furniture, one of Central New York’s leading furniture manufacturers, contemporary light fixtures, Native American artwork from Frank Howell and beautiful photography of New York State landscapes from Upstate New York artist Don Cochran. This industry-leading design is just one of the latest examples of Turning Stone’s dedication and commitment to providing guests the ultimate experience and innovative amenities.

Turning Stone has a legacy of continually innovating and enhancing the guest experience. In the past, this has led to the creation of Exit 33, the resort’s entertainment and dining complex, top-notch, nationally televised sporting events and championship-level golf courses, award-winning lodging and spas and the introduction of several world-class restaurants.