Gambling in New York State changed forever on the morning of July 20, 1993.
At 11 a.m. the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, located 30 miles east of Syracuse, opened its doors for the first time, becoming the first legal casino in state history.
“On land where the Oneida Indians once hunted white-tailed deer and grew corn and squash,” The Post-Standard reported, “the Oneida Indian Nation opened its shiny casino, signaling a new era for both state and the 1,100-member Iroquois tribe.”
The casino, Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said, “begins the rebirth of our nation.”
Opening day was limited.
The Turning Stone offered fewer than a dozen of the 26 games they could legally offer.
