Not quite Atlantic City: Gamblers flocked to New York’s first-ever legal casino 30 years ago
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Gambling in New York State changed forever on the morning of July 20, 1993.
At 11 a.m. the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, located 30 miles east of Syracuse, opened its doors for the first time, becoming the first legal casino in state history.
“On land where the Oneida Indians once hunted white-tailed deer and grew corn and squash,” The Post-Standard reported, “the Oneida Indian Nation opened its shiny casino, signaling a new era for both state and the 1,100-member Iroquois tribe.”
The casino, Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said, “begins the rebirth of our nation.”
Opening day was limited.
The Turning Stone offered fewer than a dozen of the 26 games they could legally offer.
None of that really mattered to the hundreds of gambling enthusiasts who visited the $10 million glass-and-steel building, which had 40,000 square feet of gaming space. They parked on side streets hours before the opening and by noon half of the casino’s 700 parking spaces were filled.
Long lines of people wrapped around the building before the doors opened. Post-Standard reporter Daniel Gonzalez thought it looked a lot like folks waiting in line for a “sneak preview of ‘Jurassic Park.’ "
Initial reactions to the aesthetics of the Turning Stone were mixed.
“Turning Stone was purposely designed not to look like Vegas,” Gonzalez wrote. “There are no bright carpets and no dangling chandeliers. Instead, sunlight streams in through vaulted skylights that run the length of the casino.”
The reporter said it resembled a “shopping mall,” which was intentional. The Oneida Indian Nation built its casino with skylights and a high atrium just in case their plans fell apart and the building had to be converted into something else, like a mall.
Some were disappointed the appearance, but Central New York gamblers loved that they could play their favorite games of chance close to home.
“It’s lacking all of the glitter, but other than that it’s still a casino,” said Teresa Deninsky of Endicott.
“People are going to gamble anyway,” said Frances Shook of New Hartford. “Why not keep it in New York State?”
“It looks like a bus station,” said Harry Gregory of Cicero, a veteran of gaming at Atlantic City, “but gambling is gambling. I guess it doesn’t matter where you throw the dice.”
Gregory was one of the Turning Stone’s early winners.
“A roar of excitement” poured from a $25 craps table after he won.
“Come on, Harry! Come on, Harry! Let ‘em roll,” a group of players yelled after every winning roll of the dice.
Gamblers stood “shoulder-to-shoulder,” three to four people deep, at many of the 90 tables, placing bets or waiting to place them. Most of the tables hosted blackjack. Other games on opening day included craps, roulette, money wheel, red dog, baccarat and mini-baccarat.
Complimentary drinks were served but only soda, coffee, tea, and juice. The Oneida Indian Nation didn’t allow alcoholic drinks.
There was only one restaurant open, a $7 all-you-can-eat buffet.
There were some complaints and the hiccups one would expect on a first day.
Many wanted slot machines which the state had outlawed.
“The facility is beautiful; the security is excellent,” Pam Nieman of Manlius said. “The only negative thing we could see was no slot machines.”
(A computerized version of slot machines, dubbed “slotless” slot machines, would be introduced at the Turning Stone in 1995.)
Post-Standard reporter William LaRue saw one nervous blackjack dealer accidently flip several cards while shuffling a stack and later had to be corrected by a gambler after she wrongly totaled his cards.
“This ain’t Atlantic City,” grumbled one of players.
Any issues which popped up were negated by the potential of the new casino.
“I think this going to save a lot of people a lot of trips to Atlantic City,” a gambler said.
“It’s hard to believe this is going on right here,” said Thomas Millard, director of the Greater Oneida Chamber of Commerce, who mentioned he had been “flooded with phone calls from people from all over the eastern United States about visiting the casino or working there.”
“This is obviously the biggest thing to hit the area, I can’t think of anything bigger.”
When the Turning Stone had its red-carpet grand opening on Oct. 7, 1993, the casino had 200 tables games ready to go and it had already attracted 450,000 visitors. It was expected to earn $100 million over its first year of operation.
Just two years later, in 1995, it was one of the region’s top employers and, with just around four million visitors, one of New York State’s leading tourist destinations. It averaged 6,000 people a day during the week and 11,000 on weekends.
The 800-seat Showroom would open in 1999 followed by the 5,000 seat Event Center five years later.
Today, the Turning Stone Resort and Casino has more than 20 restaurants, five golf courses, spas, and state-of-the-art event and concert venues.
The humble gaming experience first enjoyed by hundreds in 1993 has been expanded to three Bingo Halls, the largest poker room in New York, 66 Vegas-style game tables, The Lounge with Caeser’s Sports and 2,000 slot machines.
Last year, it was announced that the Turning Stone would start its largest expansion since it opened in 1993.
The project, which will be completed over a period of several years, would nearly double the resort’s convention and conference space, while also adding a new hotel, dining options and other amenities.
This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle: | 315-416-3882.
