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Oneida Indian Nation awards contracts for Turning Stone project
VERONA, N.Y. — The Oneida Indian Nation announced the awarding of contracts to 26 New York businesses as part of its $370 million expansion of Turning Stone Resort Casino. Under the supervision of the project general contractors, The Hayner Hoyt Corporation and TN WARD, the businesses will support the construction of The Grand Expo, The […]
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VERONA, N.Y. — The Oneida Indian Nation announced the awarding of contracts to 26 New York businesses as part of its $370 million expansion of Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Under the supervision of the project general contractors, The Hayner Hoyt Corporation and TN WARD, the businesses will support the construction of The Grand Expo, The Crescent Hotel, and a new parking garage.
“As the Turning Stone evolution continues to transform the resort, it is also transforming our role as an economic engine for upstate New York,” Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Turning Stone Enterprises CEO Ray Halbritter said in a release. “Partnerships with our region’s businesses have always been essential to our growth and success, and we are thrilled to expand these partnerships as the evolution creates new opportunities today and for generations to come.”
The project is the Oneida Indian Nation’s largest investment in the resort in 20 years, and completed work includes NY Rec & Social Club, a nightlife and sports-betting venue, and renovations at the Sportsplex, an indoor sports venue.
The latest phase of the project will include The Grand Expo, a new 165,000-square-foot conference facility that doubles the existing events space and adds new outdoor event spaces; The Crescent Hotel, which includes 258 guest rooms and suites; Salt Seafood & Raw Bar, a fine dining venue; and a new 1,500-space parking garage.
When complete, the expansion project will make Turning Stone the largest conference destination in the region, allowing it to compete with major metropolitan areas for large-scale events as well as business and leisure travel.
The project is also generating a one-time economic impact of more than $600 million and creating over 3,500 construction and related jobs. It will produce more than $22 million in state and local tax revenues and generate hundreds of permanent jobs. The Oneida Indian Nation also expects to increase spending with local vendors, which already exceeded $142 million spent with 792 vendors in Oneida, Madison, and Onondaga counties in 2023.
This builds upon the Oneida Nation’s more than $1 billion in economic activity generated in upstate New York in 2023, as reported in an economic-impact analysis by Oxford Economics.

Schumer announces nearly $4 million for railway work between Cortland and Syracuse
CORTLAND, N.Y.— The New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway (NYSW) will use a federal award of nearly $4 million as it continues work on a

SUNY Poly professor receives nearly $91K in funding for transportation study
MARCY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the U.S. Department of Transportation Region 2 University Transportation Research Center (UTC) have

Embassy Suites hotel near Destiny USA sold to Virginia firm
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA hotel — located at 311 Hiawatha Boulevard West, across from Destiny USA — has a new owner. Excel Group, an Arlington, Virginia–based private-equity firm that owns, develops, and invests in hotels across the U.S., on Tuesday said that it has acquired the 209-room hotel.
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA hotel — located at 311 Hiawatha Boulevard West, across from Destiny USA — has a new owner.
Excel Group, an Arlington, Virginia–based private-equity firm that owns, develops, and invests in hotels across the U.S., on Tuesday said that it has acquired the 209-room hotel.
Excel Group didn’t disclose the purchase price. The Onondaga County property record for 311 Hiawatha Blvd West and Solar Street lists the owner as Destiny USA Real Estate LLC. The total assessment for 2024 is nearly $13.6 million and the full market value is listed at more than $21.7 million, according to the county record.
“We are thrilled to acquire the Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA, the premier hotel in the market. This property is strategically positioned to benefit from Syracuse’s ongoing resurgence,” Shoham Amin, founder and principal of Excel Group, said in a statement. “This investment allows us to capitalize on the recent supply and demand imbalance caused by hotel closures in the area. Historically, this market has been stable, driven by healthcare and education sectors, and is now poised for significant growth with Micron’s upcoming construction.”
The Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA hotel opened in 2017.
Excel Group says the hotel is “strategically located in an area with increasing demand for hotel space stemming from shopping, travel hubs, Syracuse University, and healthcare institutions, including Upstate University Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health Hospital, as well as the area’s robust development pipeline.”
The hotel is also located several miles from the site of Micron Technology’s (NASDAQ: MU) planned $100 billion chip complex, which will begin construction in 2025 and is expected to generate 50,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Embassy Suites is also a short drive from the JMA Wireless Dome.

Bassett Medical Center completes renovation work on clinic entrance
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — After several months of construction, the entrance to Bassett Medical Center’s clinic building is open again. The entrance closed May 6 for

Cyle Farwell has recently joined Chimera Integrations as business development manager. He brings more than 10 years of experience in the security industry, where he’s

Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY (HOA) announced that Natalie Hartigan, D.O., medical oncologist and hematologist, has joined its practice. She will care for patients with cancer

Premium Mortgage Corporation announced that Timothy Beauvais has joined its sales team, bringing nearly four years of expertise in the mortgage industry to the Syracuse

FustCharles, a certified public accounting firm in Syracuse, has promoted Janis Young to billing manager. In this role, she will oversee the firm’s billing processes,

The Salvation Army Syracuse Area Services has appointed Sidney Germinio as executive director of community services. In this role, she will be responsible for the
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