Turning Stone Resort Casino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Turning Stone Resort Casino |
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 Location in central New York
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| Location | Verona, New York |
| Address | 5218 Patrick Road |
| Opening date | July 16, 1993 |
| No. of rooms | 709 (across four hotels) |
| Total gaming space | 125,000 square foot Las Vegas-style gaming floor |
| Signature attractions | PGA-quality golf course, spa, showroom, and 5,000-seat arena |
| Notable restaurants | TS Steakhouse, Tin Rooster |
| Casino type | Land-based |
| Owner | Oneida Nation Enterprises |
| Renovated in | 1997 (addition of hotel) 2004 (second hotel tower) 2010-2012 (renovation of existing hotel building) |
| Coordinates | 43°06′54″N 75°35′20″W / 43.115°N 75.589°W |
| Website | turningstone.com |
Turning Stone Resort Casino is a fun place owned and run by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York. It is located in Verona, New York.
This resort opened in 1993. It offers many cool things to do. You can find golf courses, including one used by professional golfers. There's also an RV park, walking trails, and an amusement arcade. The resort has many restaurants and spas. It also offers games like Bingo, Keno, and different kinds of slot machines. For a while, it was the only big casino on land in New York State. It's a very popular spot for tourists and has won many awards.
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Building and Growing
The Oneida Indian Nation built the casino and hotel to help their community. They wanted to create jobs and improve life for their people. This happened when Native American groups were gaining the right to open casinos on their lands. Some people, both inside and outside the Oneida Nation, were against building the casino.
The land for the casino was bought in 1992 and 1993. Work on a hotel and a bingo hall started in 1994. The bingo hall was finished in 1995. The hotel plans changed a bit, so the hotel and casino ended up connected. This allowed them to offer more services like a pool, a spa, and a gym.
In 1997, the Oneida Nation helped the nearby town of Verona. They paid for a large water tower and gave it to the town. Later, the resort needed more water. The Oneida Nation then paid for a new water pump to get enough water for everyone.
In 2002, they added more gaming space and a showroom. This showroom became a popular place for concerts and events. Because the casino was so popular, the Oneida Nation built two more hotels. One of these hotels is the tallest building between Syracuse and Albany. The other hotel is a fancy place for golf lovers.
Fun Things to Do
The Turning Stone Casino and Resort has hosted poker challenges that were shown on TV.
Many famous musicians have performed here. These include KISS, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fergie, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, No Doubt, Jordin Sparks, Alicia Keys, and Wayne Newton. Comedians and other groups also perform shows. The Irish Rovers even played their St. Patrick's Day concerts here in 2014.
The resort has a special golf club called Atunyote Golf Club. It has hosted big golf tournaments, including a PGA Tour event from 2007 to 2010. It also hosted the B.C. Open and the PGA Professional National Championship.
Solving Challenges
When the casino first opened, some groups and parts of the New York State government had questions about its legal right to operate. They wondered if the casino could legally offer certain games.
The Oneida Nation had an agreement with the state about gambling. However, some people believed this agreement was not properly approved by the state's lawmakers. There were also questions about whether the land the casino was on counted as "Indian Territory" under the rules for casinos.
These disagreements led to several court cases. However, in 2013, the Oneida Nation, New York State, and the local counties reached a big agreement. This agreement solved all the issues about the casino's operation and the land. It also allowed the state to change its laws to permit more casinos. This agreement meant that the Turning Stone Resort Casino could continue to operate and even expand.
Smoking Rules
Smoking is allowed in some areas of the resort. However, the resort has also created and expanded many non-smoking areas. In 2016, the casino spent $20 million to make smoke-free areas even better. They also improved the air systems to keep all non-smoking zones fresh.
Awards and Honors
Since 2001, Turning Stone has won over 480 different awards.
In 2018, Forbes Travel Guide gave the resort three "Four Star" ratings. These were for The Lodge hotel, Wildflowers restaurant, and Skana spa. A year before, AAA gave three of its "Four Diamond Awards" to The Lodge and Tower hotels, and Wildflowers restaurant. This made Turning Stone the only resort in the Northeastern United States to win both AAA and Forbes awards.
In 2017, Casino Player magazine named the resort the "Best Overall Gaming Resort in New York."
All three of Turning Stone's main golf courses were listed among the "Best Golf Courses you Can Play in New York" by Golfweek magazine. Two of the courses were also on Golf Digest's list of "100 Greatest Public Courses in America."
The Atunyote Golf Course also hosts a charity event called the Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge.
In Popular Culture
- The American metal band Bible of the Devil wrote a song about the casino called "The Turning Stone." It is on their 2008 album, Freedom Metal.
Images for kids
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The hotel tower at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
