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Lines of people snaked from all the main entrances to the Turning Stone Resort Casino early Wednesday morning as crowds gathered more than an hour before the casino opened for the first time in three months.
The Oneida Indian Nation closed Turning Stone and its other casinos in mid-March after the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut jointly announced that the states will shut down casinos, gyms and movie theaters. The Nation's other two casinos, Point Place Casino in Bridgeport and Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango, also opened Wednesday.
The Oneida Indian Nation in central New York is looking at ways it can reopen its casinos in the area once it receives the go-ahead from the state. WATCH: Racing at Finger Lakes faces casino threat.
Read more Oneida's new casino in Sylvan Beach opens July 27 July 26, 2020 - The Oneida Indian Nation will open its new 'Lakehouse at Sylvan Beach' on Monday July 27. The facility features a 50-foot-tall lighthouse, a casino, a restaurant and an outdoor entertainment. Read more More Headlines. State-Licensed Casinos and Racetracks. He Oneida Indian Nation announced Thursday it will expand one of its three casinos in Central New York, amid financial struggles across Upstate New York’s non-Indian gambling industry. Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, Madison County, will increase the size of its gaming floor and add 100 slot machines, bringing the total to 600. Point Place Casino is Central New York’s new destination for fun. Come experience great gaming, incredible entertainment and inspired food and drink. We think you’ll agree, this is the perfect place to play.
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Guests wait outside to enter Turning Stone Resort Casino on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]
Meanwhile, other casinos in New York have plans to reopen over the course of the next few weeks.
The Seneca Indian Nation said Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino will reopen Thursday, June 18, followed by Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino on Thursday, June 25 and Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino on Thursday, July 2, according to a statement.
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Guests enter the doors of Turning Stone Resort Casino on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]The Seneca Nation's Class II gaming sites in Irving, Salamanca and Cuba also will open at limited capacity Thursday, June 18.
Phased approach
Similar to how Gov. Andrew Cuomo is reopening certain regions throughout the state amid the pandemic, the Oneida Nation's casinos are opening in phases.
Wednesday's openings were part of the first phase. For Turning Stone, phase one reopened the casino's gaming floor and some of the restaurants, according to Nation officials. The casino's Exit 33 venues and the buffet are not part of Phase One and will reopen later on.
Nation officials said advancement to the next phases would be done in a safe and responsible manner. No timetable has yet been set at this time.
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. said the county was involved in developing Turning Stone's reopening plan, calling the approach 'detailed and comprehensive.'
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Auburn resident Joseph Crawford is asked to lower his mask and show his face to cameras while entering the doors of Turning Stone Resort Casino on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]'It will be a positive for the business community,' Picente said Tuesday. 'Hopefully everyone will go well.'
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Ray Halbritter, the Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, speaks with media as Turning Stone Resort Casino opened its doors on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]The Nation has outlined a number of safety protocols as part of an overall reopening plan called Safe Together, which is available to view at Turning Stone's website. These precautions include:
‒ Limited access to facilities for guests who travel from within 120 miles; identification verification will be used to aid contact tracing if it becomes necessary
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Guests enter the doors of Turning Stone Resort Casino on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]‒ Requirement of face coverings, wherever feasible, for employees, guests, vendors and the public
‒ Gloves required for all employees working in direct contact with guests, including in all restaurants, at registration desks and on the gaming floors
‒ Daily noninvasive thermal temperature checks for every employee entering the workplace along with survey questions to identify potential COVID-19 exposures
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Al Beeman helps guests with their luggage outside of Turning Stone Resort Casino on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]‒ At least 6 feet of separation between tables at all restaurants and bars; buffets or other self-service food options will remain closed, while there is no self-service food in any of the Players' Lounges or banquet rooms
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Guests ride the escalators as Turning Stone Resort Casino opened on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]Back to work
With more than 4,759 employees, the Nation is the largest employer in Oneida County.
Nonessential employees were furloughed and provided with some help, including coverage of their health care premiums. Nation officials said employees with the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, Oneida Health Services, Maple Leaf Market and SavOn were among those considered essential.
On Wednesday, the vast majority of the furloughed workers – numbering roughly 4,500 – returned to work, said Ray Halbritter, the Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises.
'All those folks are really delighted to come back to work and try to get back to normal,' Halbritter said.
The new normal will require wearing a mask, said Halbritter, who described the face covering as the biggest change when it comes to visiting the Nation's casinos.
'It was so hard the last three months,' Halbritter said. 'We've not closed since we opened. It's so good to be open again.'
Seneca Nation
Like the Oneida Nation, the Seneca Nation closed its casinos in mid-March.
The reopening of the Seneca Nation casinos will also return thousands to work, officials said.
'After being closed for nearly three months, we are now ready to move forward with the safe, responsible and systematic reopening of our gaming facilities,' said Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong, Sr. in a statement. 'This is a signature moment in our region's economic recovery from the circumstances that arose as a result of this unprecedented public health crisis.'
Mirroring the Oneida Nation, all of the Seneca Nation facilities will open at reduced capacity, with strict protocols in place to protect the health and safety of guests and workers, officials said.
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The hundreds of visitors at Wednesday's opening at Turning Stone practiced social distancing as best they could, with the vast majority seen wearing cloth masks.
© Provided by Utica Observer-Dispatch Guests make their way to the machines as Turning Stone Resort Casino opened on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Verona. The Oneida Indian Nation has opened its three casino locations on Wednesday, but is following its own phased approach to reopening, calling this Phase 1. During this phase, the casinos will operate under a new Safer Together plan. The new guidelines include mandatory face coverings for staff and visitors in most areas, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, no scheduled concerts until further notice and no visitors from outside a 120-mile radius. [ALEX COOPER / OBSERVER-DISPATCH]The throngs were welcomed by Halbritter and casino staff with cheers and applause as they entered the facility.
Vinnie Dove of Elmira said he was happy to see the casino open. Dove said he comes to Turning Stone several times a month and had been checking the casino's website daily to see when it would reopen.
'I'm here to play bingo,' he said.
Syracuse woman Nanette Manning, who ventures to Turning Stone often, said she was looking forward to playing poker.
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Manning said she was not worried about the virus, saying she felt safe to return.
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'I've been in the house for three months,' she said.