Turning Stone Is Hiring: 350+ Jobs as Resort Expansion Arrives

Some expansions get announced and then quietly fade into the background.

The Turning Stone Evolution is not one of them.

The Oneida Indian Nation’s $370 million expansion of Turning Stone Resort Casino is arriving ahead of schedule, bringing a new hotel, a new restaurant, a major convention center, and more than 350 new jobs to Central New York.

For anyone working in hospitality, culinary, sales, events, housekeeping, food and beverage, or resort operations, this is one of the biggest career opportunities happening in Upstate New York right now.

A New Hotel, Restaurant, and Convention Center

The Crescent Hotel is scheduled to open June 29, 2026, adding 258 new guest rooms and suites to Turning Stone Resort Casino. The new hotel includes a dedicated entrance and check-in area, indoor connections to the resort’s dining, entertainment, and event spaces, and a seventh-floor restaurant: Salt Seafood & Raw Bar.

Salt will bring a new fine dining experience to the resort, with private dining rooms, a raw bar, sweeping views, and seasonal outdoor seating.

Then, on Labor Day, The Grand Expo conference center is expected to open, expanding Turning Stone’s meeting and convention space to 200,000 square feet and positioning the resort as the largest meetings and conventions resort in New York State.

The Grand Expo will include two ballrooms, space for up to 2,000 guests, and a 25,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard designed for events, receptions, weddings, and business gatherings.

This is not a facelift. It is a full-scale transformation.

And the region is already feeling it.

A Major Investment in Central New York

The Turning Stone Evolution is expected to generate more than $600 million in economic impact. During construction, more than $263 million was spent with New York State vendors, including more than $161 million with businesses in Oneida, Madison, and Onondaga counties.

That matters.

Before the first new hotel guest checks in, this project has already put money into the regional economy, supported local vendors, created construction activity, and expanded opportunity across Central New York.

For Oneida County, this is the kind of development that does more than make headlines. It changes the career landscape.

What Turning Stone Is Hiring For

Turning Stone Enterprises launched its 2026 hiring campaign to fill roles across hospitality, culinary, sales, housekeeping, environmental services, food and beverage, events, professional services, and resort operations.

Openings include positions such as front desk representatives, line cooks, servers, banquet service professionals, event support staff, security officers, dealers, supervisors, housekeeping team members, concierge roles, sales representatives, bartenders, and more.

These are not just seasonal side gigs.

Turning Stone Enterprises is one of the largest employers in Central New York, with more than 5,000 team members across its properties. Team members have access to competitive compensation, benefits, flexible schedules, retirement savings plans, and opportunities for advancement.

For someone looking to build a long-term career in hospitality or resort operations, this is worth a serious look.

The Math for Hospitality Professionals

Here is where the opportunity gets especially interesting.

If you are working in hospitality in a higher-cost market, the numbers in Central New York can make a lot of sense.

Turning Stone is located in Verona, about a 20-minute drive from Utica. In Oneida County, average home values are still dramatically lower than many larger hospitality markets. Utica rents remain more affordable than the national average, which gives professionals a chance to build a career without giving half their paycheck to a landlord with “luxury” vinyl flooring and a dream.

That is the real pitch.

You can work at a major resort destination, build experience in luxury hospitality, culinary, events, sales, or operations, and still live in a region where buying a home or renting an apartment is within reach for more working professionals.

Why This Matters

The Turning Stone Evolution is more than a resort expansion. It is a signal.

Central New York is growing its tourism, events, hospitality, and professional services economy. Larger conventions mean more visitors. More visitors mean more demand for restaurants, lodging, transportation, entertainment, vendors, and local experiences.

That creates opportunity well beyond one property.

For people already living here, it is a chance to grow without leaving. For people outside the region, it is another reason to take a closer look at Oneida County.

You do not have to choose between career momentum and quality of life.

Sometimes, the better opportunity is not in a bigger city.

Sometimes, it is twenty minutes down the road.

 

Explore careers at Turning Stone →

Source: Rome Sentinel, “Turning Stone expansion opening early, creating 350 new jobs,” October 2025; Rome Sentinel, “Turning Stone Enterprises kicks off 2026 hiring campaign,” February 2026