Turning Stone Casino

So there isn’t very much to do around Fort Drum, unless you like being outside in the snow. I’m down for skiing or snow tubing once or twice a season, but it gets old, folks. REAL QUICK.

I was first introduced to Turning Stone by a friend of mine who is a bingo fanatic. She really is. Even has her own “bingo bag” with like 20 different colors of ink.

Located in Verona, NY…it’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere. But nowhere happens to be situated on I-90, about 30 minutes from Syracuse. It’s a toll road, so take some pocket change. When you get off the exit and see this place, it looks awesome. A huge hotel complex with golf courses, it stands out with its modern shapes against the local businesses.

Turning Stone has a few options for rooms. They have a Tower, which is my pick. I like to be close to the action. They also have a lodge and an inn, to suit different budgets and tastes. They are pretty pricey on weekends, going for an average of $300/night, but if you visit during the week, you can often find $99/night specials.

This place has restaurants galore! They have a food court and a 24/7 diner. The food selection is great and reasonably priced. They also have a steakhouse, a Brazilian Steakhouse, an Asian restaurant and an Italian restaurant. And of course what kind of respectable casino doesn’t have a buffet? Finish it with a deli, and you have choices for any palette and billfold.

The casino in this place is pretty big. They have $5 Blackjack tables, which is awesome. And they are pretty reasonable with their comps. The one thing I don’t like, is that you have to load your players club card with money to use the slots. That’s right…they don’t take cash in the slots. On the plus side, there are a decent amount of non-smoking sections, and they have a huge poker room. The drinks are NOT free, but they are priced pretty cheaply. They also have one of the top 10 Bingo halls in the country. It’s freaken huge. And before you knock me for playing bingo, this ain’t your “firehall” bingo. The prizes go up to $30k! It’s a lot of fun and a good way to pass the time without blowing hundreds of dollars.

They have two Spa’s here at TS. One is a day spa, and one is over at the lodge..more of a traditional spa experience. The nice thing is that you have a better chance of getting in and their prices are really decent.

Lava is the nightclub. This is modeled after a Vegas-style club, complete with VIP, and stage shows. They have had everything from a midget Brittany Spears lookalike to a fire-breather perform while I’ve been there. They also have a gorgeous outdoor area where you can get a cabana as your VIP area. Bottle Service starts at $200/bottle, and that’s not bad, considering there is no where to sit unless you have it. This place is tons of fun, with a great DJ.

Turning Stone is an oasis in a world of boring. It brings a little bit of Vegas to Upstate NY, and draws celebrity performers. This is a great idea for a mid-winter getaway.



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