It was an honor to join the Oneida Indian Nation for the official grand opening ceremony of The Crescent Hotel and the debut of SALT, the newest seafood fine-dining addition to Turning Stone Resort Casino. The celebration, held on July 17, marked a major milestone in the Turning Stone Evolution and brought together members of the Oneida Indian Nation, elected officials, and tourism and business leaders to commemorate the opening of this transformational new destination in Central New York.
A New State of Luxury in Upstate New York
The Crescent is Turning Stone’s fourth hotel on property, adding 258 refined guest rooms — including 23 suites — decorated with modern textures, furniture, and luxury amenities. The hotel gives guests seamless access to Turning Stone’s world-class spas and wellness programs, restaurants, entertainment, golf, and gaming, and its first floor is already home to a new grab-and-go café, The Pantry, and Oneida Sky, a heritage shop featuring art, jewelry, and products created by members of the Oneida Indian Nation.
Spanning the entire seventh floor of The Crescent, SALT highlights the best of land and sea and is designed to stand out among restaurants throughout the Northeast. Two expansive terraces offer three-season outdoor dining with sweeping views of the Mohawk Valley, complemented by four private dining rooms for special occasions. The restaurant was developed in partnership with Elizabeth Blau, the celebrated restaurant developer and strategist behind some of the most renowned dining destinations in Las Vegas and around the world.
Together, The Crescent and SALT represent the completion of the first phase of the $370 million Turning Stone Evolution, a generational investment that is transforming Turning Stone into New York’s largest meetings and conventions resort. The Grand Expo, a 165,000-square-foot conference and event center featuring two ballrooms and outdoor terrace space for close to 2,000 guests, is set to follow with its own grand opening over Labor Day weekend.
“As we prepare to become New York’s largest meetings and conventions resort destination, it was essential that we elevated every aspect of the Turning Stone experience,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and CEO of Turning Stone Enterprises.
As we prepare to become New York’s largest meetings and conventions resort destination, it was essential that we elevated every aspect of the Turning Stone experience
Ray Halbritter Chief Executive Officer, Turning Stone EnterprisesA Partnership More Than 30 Years in the Making
Milestones like these are a reminder of what can be accomplished through a shared vision and a strong partnership. For more than 30 years, The Hayner Hoyt Corporation has been proud to work alongside the Oneida Indian Nation, helping bring transformational projects to life that continue to shape the future of the region.
As construction manager for the Turning Stone Evolution, Hayner Hoyt has served as a joint venture partner alongside TN Ward Company Builders, overseeing a vast network of subcontractors — many of them regional and New York State-based businesses — throughout construction of The Crescent, SALT, the Grand Expo, and a new 1,500-space parking garage. The Evolution has generated a one-time economic impact exceeding $600 million, created more than 3,500 construction and related jobs, and driven more than $263 million in spending with New York State vendors alone.
It’s the kind of project that reflects exactly why we do this work: building spaces that don’t just serve a single grand opening, but that shape a region’s economy, hospitality industry, and sense of place for decades to come.
Looking Ahead
We look forward to seeing The Crescent Hotel and SALT welcome guests for years to come, and we’re grateful to have played the lead role in this exciting chapter alongside our joint venture partner, TN Ward Company Builders. As the Turning Stone Evolution continues toward the opening of The Grand Expo this Labor Day, we’re proud to keep building toward a future that brings even more opportunity to Central New York.
To learn more about The Crescent Hotel, SALT, and the Turning Stone Evolution, visit TurningStone.com or follow Turning Stone Resort Casino and the Oneida Indian Nation on Facebook.