Don’t sleep on New York’s casino scene. We’ve all heard about how big sports betting in New York has become — it’s the highest-grossing market going — but the retail casino scene is quite good too.
By our count, there are 15 physical establishments to bet casino at in New York, mostly on the upstate side — further away from New York City. There are eight racinos (hybrid casinos and racetracks), four commercial casinos, and another three tribal-owned casinos. Today, we want to focus on one of those tribal properties, which is undergoing a renovation project to make it even bigger and better.
Point Place Casino Is Moving On Up
The Point Place Casino is located in Bridgeport, New York. That’s close to Syracuse (central part of the state) for those not in the know. It’s operated by the Oneida Indian Nation. The tribe just announced a project to expand the casino — a $50 million investment to be exact.
The announcement came from Ray Halbritter. He’s the CEO of Turning Stone Enterprises, who own the casino in conjunction with Oneida Nation. Here’s what Ray had to say:
“When we built Point Place Casino six years ago, we had a vision for what it could become as an entertainment destination and an economic engine for this community… As with everything we do, that vision was guided by the understanding that if you are not growing, you are going backward. That has been our motto across all of our enterprises. [It’s] the reason we are so committed to constant diversification and growth.”
Before the renovation, Point Place Casino has been a smoke-free gaming and entertainment venue featuring over 500 slot machines, table games, TS Sports, and dining options like Perfect Pour Cafe, Burgers of Madison County, and the Fireside Lounge. So it was nice to start with, but the renovations are expected to add a host of upgrades to the establishment. Here are just a few of the planned updates
- Doubling the size of the existing gaming floor
- A new multi-story hotel with 100 rooms
- A new restaurant
- A new Perfect Pour Cafe satellite location in the hotel’s lobby
- An event space
- An update for the Fireside Lounge that will double its current size and add a 360-degree view of the wood-burning fireplace with cozy new seating
Not bad, eh? For $50 million, this seems like bang for your buck. Try building anything betting-related in California and see how far half a $100 million goes — it doesn’t. But that’s a topic for another day!
Expansions Have Been The Norm At Point Place
Credit to both the Oneida Indian Nation and Turning Stone Enterprises. Neither group has rested on their laurels one bit in this highly competitive betting market. The latest round of innovations comes on top of others they’ve made since the casino’s grand opening in 2018.
In the past, the casino expanded its gaming floor. As it stands, the gaming floor is 65,000-square-foot long. It’s akin to something you’d find in Las Vegas games-wise. All the modern games are available. Two popular ones are
Electronic Roulette and Big-Six.
Not only that, but the casino partnered with the Caesars Sportsbook too. This agreement began in early 2022. All Point Place bettors now go through Caesars to make sports bets — whether that’s in-person at the physical bookie inside the casino or via the mobile app. Of course, the Caesars app works statewide thanks to New York changing its mobile betting laws in 2022, as well.
Not only will local bettors benefit from the renovations, but local workers too. It’s being said the investment will generate over 200 construction jobs.
“The Oneida Indian Nation has created many good things that have impacted this region that we all benefit from, from helping win American independence two-and-a-half centuries ago to the significant economic role it plays today in our county,” said Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Cunningham in a statement. “It has created so many good jobs in Central New York and we are so fortunate to have the Nation here.”
Turning Stone Resort & Casino — another property co-owned by the two organizations — has poured money into investments too. In December, a brand-new nightclub dubbed NY Rec & Social Club made its grand debut. Then in January, a seed-to-sale cannabis business opened up across the street from Turning Stone.
The takeaway here? Casinos DO pour money back into the local economy. Many get an unjust reputation for being “takers” — not “givers.” That might be the case with some casinos, but far from it with Oneida Indian Nation and Point Place.
We’ll be monitoring the development so make sure to check back from time to time for updates. The casino says development should finish next year.
Since we have you here, we ought to remind you that NFL betting is back in action. There might not be a lot of optimism about New York’s football teams — the Jets and Giants — but that likely won’t stop bettors from trying to make money off their wins or losses. You can bet at Point Place, its Caesars app, or even use an offshore betting site all NFL season long.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
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