Casino news from http://www.cnybj.com/
The Turning Stone Resort & Casino has begun a $20 million to $25 million project to give the resort a continuous desig1n theme for its many buildings.
The resulting theme will be Italian rustic with many natural elements and earth tones, says Barry Rivet, director of design and development for Turning Stone. Taft Design & Associates Ltd., of Manchester, Vt., developed the theme. Cost for the work includes the design and construction costs and the cost of the new carpeting, lighting, artwork, and other new decorative pieces.
The task is a daunting one as the various buildings and additions have been built over a period of 13 years.
“It’s been one building after another where there isn’t a consistent feel for the property,” Rivet says.
Older sections of the resort have a more flashy design, with brass fixtures and bright, colorful lights. But the goal is to get away from the glitzy casino look and replace it with a more subdued, upscale resort feel, Rivet says.
“We try to give people the ability to decompress on the property,” he says.
Having a unified theme will also help Turning Stone better brand itself as a resort destination by tying together all of its offerings and attractions, he says.
“Certainly, we’ve added enough amenities to be recognized as more than just a casino,” he says. Of the resort’s current 1 million square feet of developed space, only 100,000 square feet is devoted to gaming. Hotels, restaurants, a spa, fitness area, and a variety of shops fill the rest of the space. The resort also boasts a showroom, an event center, and three championship-caliber golf courses.
Changing the décor of the resort reflects those expanded offerings and ties them all together, Rivet says. It’s fitting for a location that now attracts 4.5 million visitors a year.
Some changes have already taken place, including new outdoor signs that are more muted and natural looking. New signs, made by Young Electric Co. of Las Vegas, were added to the tower hotel.
Inside the resort, both the poker room and the corridor just outside, called the promenade, have already been revamped with new light fixtures, wall treatments, carpeting, and accent pieces. Zausmer, Frisch, Scruton and Aggarwal, of Syracuse, was the design firm.
Work on the two areas took four to five months for each area. The poker area reopened about two months ago, and the promenade reopened June 23.
Doorways and windows have been rounded out into archways in many places and alcoves have been added in the corridor to hold potted plants and other decorative touches.
“We’re not hitting you with the glitz and glamour as you enter the property,” Rivet says.
Turning Stone has changed temporarily from purple to a more muted brown the interior signs that direct patrons to various areas of the resort, until a permanent theme is developed.
Signs on the resort’s golf courses were also changed to reflect more of the culture of the Oneida Indian Nation, which owns and operates the resort. Signs describing native plants, trees, and animals have been scattered throughout the courses.
The next phase of the project will continue down the corridor from the promenade and wrap around the gaming area to where the front desk for the hotel used to be located. Future phases will include the rest of the corridors and the gaming area itself.
“It’s not going to be an overnight thing,” Rivet says. “It’ll take us several years to complete this.”
|
|
