'A good American story'
To understand the genesis of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino "story," you begin at the top -- not of the crest of the Turning Stone hotel tower, but with Oneida Nation Representative and Chief Executive Officer Ray Halbritter.
By Bob Denney, PGA of America
VERONA, N.Y. -- The Turning Stone Resort & Casino rises out of the Central New York parkland landscape like a concrete oasis. The host site of this week's 39th PGA Professional National Championship represents the second time in the past three years that the showcase event for PGA Professionals has been conducted on Native American sovereign land.
Opened in 1993, the resort forms a stunning setting for the National Championship, earning rave reviews from the 312-player field for the conditioning and maintenance of its golf courses, along with the service and hospitality of some 5,000 resort employees.
To understand the genesis of the Turning Stone "story," you begin at the top -- not of the crest of the Turning Stone hotel tower, but with Oneida Nation Representative and Chief Executive Officer Ray Halbritter. He is a man who has kept the pulse in connecting the lessons and hardships of his ancestors -- one of six nations in the Iroquois Federation -- to forge a remarkable success story.
"It's hard to talk about our people and how we are today without talking about 200 years of history," said Halbritter, 55, a 1985 graduate of Syracuse University and a 1990 alum of Harvard Law School. "We were the first allies of the United States in the Revolutionary War. We have a valid treaty with the United States, and it is the oldest recognized treaty by the United States of America."
A personal tragedy touched Halbritter in 1975 when his aunt and uncle died in a fire on what was then a 32-acre "territory." The city of Oneida refused to send its fire department to the rescue. The Oneida Nation then sought permission for a bingo hall to raise money to purchase a fire truck.
From the ashes, the Turning Stone Resort vision became reality and a state-of-the-art gaming complex took shape. The family tragedy also instilled a motivation within Halbritter to lead the Oneida Nation to prominence.
"What we have today is the result of us trying to be self-sufficient and take care of our own needs," said Halbritter. "To be able to be successful and create this enterprise, we probably have $2 billion invested and we are nearing that number shortly. We have nearly 5,000 employees and are now able to take care of our members, our families, our children and we still have a lot more to do, more land that we need to diversify. It's a long story, but a good American story with a great ending."
As CEO of the Oneida Nation enterprises, Halbritter successfully negotiated a gaming compact with the State of New York that resulted in the development of Turning Stone Resort, the first legal casino in the state. This precedent-setting contract has become a model for compact negotiations between other states and Indian nations.
Turning Stone Resort has expanded its reach to become a prime golf destination of the Northeast, and in addition to the Atunyote and Shenendoah Golf Clubs -- which host the PGA Professional National Championship -- the facility features an 18-hole Kaluhyat ("Ga-loo-yut") Golf Club, a par-3 Sandstone Hollow Course designed by Rick Smith, and a golf academy headed by PGA Professional Bob O'Brian, someone who led the campaign to host a PGA Professional National Championship.
Opened in 2005, the Golf Training Center is like a second oasis for a community that doesn't escape the harshness of winter until May. The center is a 75-foot high, domed facility that features two-tiered practice tees and the latest in golf learning technology.
"Mr. Halbritter has given me the challenge to make the Golf Training Center the recognized learning center of the Northeast," said O'Brian, the newly appointed director of instruction. "We are well on our way. Mr. Halbritter is a man of vision and loves golf, the entire golf experience -- particularly junior golf. Our junior program is young, but we now have a strong foundation to grow."
The first phase of Halbritter's career with the Oneida Nation was developing and implementing an investment plan to raise working capital for the businesses, as well as designing systems and management processes. Since that phase reached fruition in the early 1990s, it has been his mission to further enhance the awareness of the entire country to come to Turning Stone.
This week, Turning Stone Resort & Casino is home for 312 PGA Professionals representing 44 states.
A man in motion, Halbritter jets across country to expand his vision. He continues his inner fire to achieve his vision for a financially secure future for the Oneida Nation and its people. He directs a capital expansion program designed to enhance and broaden the base of the Nation's core businesses. The Nation has expanded its businesses beyond hospitality and gaming to include retail shops, manufacturing, convenience stores, and media.
"We struggled, we saved our money and we borrowed money," said Halbritter. "We worked originally with a company to get us get started in gaming, but didn't need their services for very long. We were able to take over the management and all of our businesses ourselves.
"It wasn't easy. We didn't have relationships, the access to corporations. From 32 acres, and without running water, we have come very far. It is hard work, and all American Indians don't want to be on the public dole.
"It's a story of hard work and what you are rewarded," he added. "Thomas Jefferson said, 'I'm very lucky, and the harder I work the luckier I am.' I think that ethic works for us, too."
The Oneida Nation has 1,000 members and a council of clan mothers, and they have influence and authority in the government.
"I was fortunate to be asked to be part of this early on," he said. "I have been here nearly 30 years now, and I feel very blessed and honored."
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