Supplier News
US – Oneida Nation to open Yellow Brick Road Casino
By Phil - 5 January 2015
The Oneida Indian Nation, owner of the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, has announced plans to expand its Upstate New York operations with a new $20m, 67,000 sq. ft. casino in the Village of Chittenango.
Paying homage to the community’s identity as the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, author of “Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Yellow Brick Road Casino will feature more than 430 Vegas-style cash slot machines, a 500 seat bingo hall, two casual dining options, a country-western bar, and a general store. The new facility will complement existing Oneida Nation businesses and bring diversification to guests, appealing to locals interested in the excitement of slot machines and bingo, while grabbing a quick, casual meal. Yellow Brick Road Casino is projected to open in spring 2015.
“Our expansion with this new casino is yet another opportunity for the Oneida Nation to create more jobs for Central New Yorkers, to invest in our region’s economic growth, and to improve and diversify our guest experience,” said Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO Ray Halbritter. “The Yellow Brick Road Casino will create numerous construction jobs for our local trade workers and more than 250 permanent positions once it opens. We’re also excited to help bring a fresh vitality to the area by investing $20 million in local businesses and converting an under-used shopping center into a new modern casino, featuring a one-of-a-kind tourist experience that is unique to Chittenango.”
The Oneida Nation has enlisted Hayner Hoyt Corporation of Syracuse for general contracting and construction management for the new casino project and Hnedak Bobo Group, visionaries for Hard Rock Café New Orleans and the upscale Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel, for the design work of Yellow Brick Road Casino.
In addition to slot machines and the bingo hall, Yellow Brick Road Casino will feature several casual dining options. This will include: a counter-service restaurant offering a variety of grill and deli-style options, including burgers, hotdogs and grilled chicken sandwiches, and dinner entrees such as meatloaf and steak, a sit-down and take-out pizza restaurant serving New York-style pizza and chicken wings, and a country-western style bar with live entertainment from local musicians, and the Oz General Store.
While a world-class facility in its own right, Yellow Brick Road Casino will provide a different experience than the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino. The fifth largest tourist attraction in New York State, Turning Stone has evolved into a full-scale, four-season destination resort offering gaming, hotels, entertainment, golf courses, spas, more than 20 dining options, including four fine-dining restaurants, nightlife, and in 2016, luxury outlet shopping.
