The Oneida people originally existed across six million acres of land between the St. Lawrence River and the Susquehanna River. The first treaty was signed in 1794 by President George Washington, which stated: "The United States acknowledges the lands reserved to the Oneida… to be their property; and the United States will never claim the same, nor disturb them”. This was solidified in 1832 when the US Supreme Court confirmed that the treaty was binding.
The first gaming operation would launch in April 1978 with the Oneida Indian Nation Bingo Hall, which would evolve into a gaming compact with the New York state in 1993.
The Oneida Indian Nation (OIN) has been governed by Ray Halbritter since 1985, who was officially recognized as the leader by the US Government in 1993. On the website, Halbritter’s titles are the Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Turning Stone Enterprises Chief Executive Officer.
The OIN also has a Gaming Commission which has three commissioners, an executive director and 15 further gaming inspectors. To maintain the regulations, the Commission runs a Surveillance Department, an Inspectors Unit and an Internal Audit Division.
The current Executive Director of the Gaming Commission is Dan Gustafson, who has served in this role since 2010.
The casino has over 2,000 slot machines and 85 live table games on the casino floor, including blackjack, craps, roulette, sic bo, casino war and wheel games. Turning Stone Resort Casino also hosts the New York leg of the World Series of Poker tournament. The venue still offers a selection of bingo games, as well as recently installed TS Sports betting desks.
In addition to the casino and gaming area, Turning Stone also has a hotel, an RV resort, an Entertainment Event Center, a Spa and Fitness Center and five different golf courses.
The property has undergone several renovations over the years, including the construction of water towers for the casino as well as local towns.
On July 21, 2023, OIN announced a $370m renovation in Turning Stone Resort Casino. This project is led by architecture and design firm Gensler and will feature a new conference center, outdoor event spaces, a hotel, a social club and an onsite medical center.
The Yellow Brick Road (YBR) Casino has over 400 slot machines and 14 table games, including Blackjack, Let It Ride and Big 6 Wheel. The property also has a sportsbook with TS Sports which also includes VIP fan caves.
The Point Place casino also has over 400 slot machines but 20 table games. This includes both traditional dealer dealt offerings, as well as electronic machines too. As with the other properties, Point Place Casino has a TS Sports sportsbook which includes VIP areas and a dining area.
Turning Stone Enterprises (formerly Oneida Nation Enterprises): The primary business arm of the OIN, this organization manages primarily gaming and hospitality operations. This includes Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino & Sports Book, Point Place Casino, The Lake House at Sylvan Beach, The Cove at Sylvan Beach, Maple Leaf Market and SavOn convenience stores, an RV park, two marinas, a hunting preserve and salmon-fishing destination and Wáhta’ Maple Farm.
Turning Stone Properties: Part of Turning Stone Enterprises that focuses on property development.
Tesla: On 6 June 2023, The Oneida Indian Nation partnered with Tesla to open a sales, service and delivery facility on its land. The showroom will open alongside retail locations on OIN land to offer a legal workaround for electric vehicle sales in the state.
