Copyright Staten Island Advance
Verona, N.Y. — Forget waiting until 2027. New York state’s largest convention destination resort is now set to open by the summer of 2026. Construction of the massive $370 million expansion at the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino is both ahead of schedule and a bit under budget, nation officials announced this week. The project, which started in 2023, is adding a new 258-room hotel to the Turning Stone campus in Verona and more than doubling its existing events space. The expansion, which the Oneidas call Turning Stone Evolution, is the largest construction project at the resort since it opened in 1993. It was initially expected to be completed by 2027. The nation is starting to work on bookings for the new space now. The new Crescent Hotel is expected to open June 29. The new convention and conference space, called the Grand Expo, will open by Labor Day. When the project is complete, the Turning Stone campus will have more than 1,000 rooms in four hotels and more than 225,000 square feet of events and meeting space. That will make it the “largest meetings and conventions resort destination” in the state, nation officials said. “Everything the Evolution is creating will allow us to compete with some of the top tourism and events markets in the country,” said Ray Halbritter, the nation’s representative and CEO of Turning Stone Enterprises, the nation’s business arm. “Destinations like New York City, Chicago, Orlando and more. (It will) demonstrate what we have always known about Upstate New York: that we have everything these destinations offer and more.” The Evolution project is focused on convention and conference capabilities, which are currently operating at nearly full capacity. Current facilities include the Turning Stone hotel tower, which is the tallest building between Albany and Buffalo. The expansion does not include any additions to the gaming operations at the full-service casino. Getting such a huge undertaking to take shape so quickly took a lot of work, Halbritter said. “We have weekly meetings, just being vigilant and staying on top of things,” Halbritter said Monday during a tour of the construction site. “And of course we have very good construction partners.” Halbritter said he’s happy with the progress and cost of construction, but even more excited about the workmanship. “Price and those things are nice, but what’s important is the quality,” he said. “That’s what will stand the test of time.” Construction of the Crescent Hotel is led by general contractor TN Ward Co, of Ardmore, Pa. Syracuse-based Hayner Hoyt Corp. is general contractor for the Grand Expo. Gensler, a San Francisco-based architectural company, led the design. The construction includes more than 60 other contractors. The project created 3,600 construction and related jobs, and generated more than $600 million in economic impact and $22 million in state and local taxes, the nation said. Hiring was done in partnership with the Central-Northern New York Building & Construction Trades Council, which represents union workers. The nation, which currently has a payroll of about 5,000 employees, is now hiring about 350 workers to staff the new facilities. “One thing we know about the Oneida Indian Nation — they don’t think small," Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said in a statement released by the Oneidas. “When they do something, they go big, and this project is huge for our community.” Highlights of the Turning Stone Evolution: ● The Grand Expo, a 165,000-square-foot conference facility. It will double Turning Stone’s existing events space, with multiple main and breakout rooms and add new outdoor spaces. It will allow Turning Stone to accommodate more than one major event at a time. ● The Crescent Hotel, which will have 258 guest rooms and suites. ● Salt Seafood & Raw Bar, a new fine-dining restaurant in the Crescent. Located on the seventh floor, it will include two separate three-season outdoor seating venues. ● A 1,500-space parking garage that will double currently available parking. Turning Stone frequently appears on lists of top destination resorts in the region, including a four-star rating from Forbes. In addition to Turning, Oneida Nation Enterprises operates two other full-service casinos, YBR in Chittenango and Point Place in Bridgeport. Other businesses include The Lake House and The Cove in Sylvan Beach, and Maple Leaf Markets, and SāvOn convenience stores around the region. A new hotel is expected to open at Point Place within the next few weeks.
