Exhibitor guide · Verona, New York
Turning Stone Resort: the exhibitor's guide
The Oneida Indian Nation's resort at Thruway exit 33: 125,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a 5,000-seat event center, five hotels and three golf courses under one management. The Upstate venue where the conference, the exhibit hall, the rooms and the after-hours are all on one property.
Turning Stone · 5218 Patrick Rd, VeronaWhy this page exists
Turning Stone is Upstate's resort convention venue: associations, dealer meetings and incentive programs book it because attendees stay, eat, golf and play on one property and never touch a car. For exhibitors that means hotel-style rules on carpeted ballroom floors, an event center that doubles as an exhibit hall, and a property outside any city, where the dock is easy but there is no downtown to walk to.
This guide covers the ballrooms, the event center and the showroom, a booth converter for carpeted floors, labor at a sovereign-nation resort, drayage handled by the resort's team, a freight countdown built around the Thruway, the kinds of events that book the property, the five hotels, and the history of the Oneida Nation's enterprise.
The property
Ballrooms, event center and showroom
Meeting space is spread across the main resort building and the Event Center, connected indoors. Exhibits go in the ballrooms for conferences and in the Event Center for larger shows.
| Space | What it is | Typical use | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event Center | A 5,000-seat arena with a flat floor when cleared, used for concerts, boxing and exhibit halls. | Trade and consumer shows of up to 150 booths, general sessions | Concrete floor, high ceiling, house rigging; the closest thing to an exhibit hall on the property. |
| Oneida and Cypress ballrooms | Divisible ballrooms in the original conference center, now joined by the 30,000 sq ft pillarless Grand Ballroom in The Grand Expo. | Conference exhibit halls, banquets | Carpet, no forklifts, lighter builds under 12 ft. |
| Showroom | The resort's theater. | Keynotes, awards | No exhibits. |
| Meeting rooms and boardrooms | Breakout rooms across the conference center, The Grand Expo (nine rooms) and the Tower. | Breakouts, hospitality suites | Hand-carry only. |
| Exhibition Hall | The Grand Expo, opened August 31, 2026: 165,000 sq ft of flexible exhibit and event space with a 24,000 sq ft landscaped courtyard. | Association exhibit halls, dealer shows | Dock access; forklifts by arrangement. |
| Docks | Loading docks behind the conference center and the Event Center; dock assignments come with the show kit. | All freight | Easy access off the Thruway; windows scheduled by the resort. |
Free tool
Resort floor booth converter
Tick what your convention-center booth includes. The converter lists what changes when the same booth goes onto a carpeted ballroom floor at Turning Stone, and when a purpose-built rental is cheaper than converting.
History
The Oneida Nation's resort
Turning Stone was built as an economic engine for the Oneida Indian Nation, designed so it could become a shopping mall if the courts ruled against it. The courts did not, and the resort grew into one of the largest employers in Central New York.
The Oneida Nation acquires farmland at Verona beside Thruway exit 33 and opens Turning Stone on July 20, 1993, the first casino in New York State. It stays the only one until Seneca Niagara opens in 2002.
A bingo hall and the first hotel follow, redesigned mid-construction so the hotel and casino share one building with a pool, spa and a larger lobby. The Nation builds a million-gallon water tower and donates it to the town.
Three golf courses open, including Atunyote, which hosts the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Championship from 2007 to 2010. The Tower hotel, the Lodge, the Event Center and the showroom expand the meeting business.
A settlement with New York State and the counties secures the Nation's exclusive gaming zone in ten Central New York counties and settles decades of land disputes.
The $400 million Evolution program completes with the opening of The Grand Expo on August 31, 2026: 165,000 sq ft of flexible event space, a 30,000 sq ft Grand Ballroom, nine breakout rooms and the 258-room Crescent Hotel, making Turning Stone New York's largest meetings and conventions resort. The resort remains the Upstate venue for conferences that want everything on one property.
Rules of the floor
Labor, exclusives and resort rules
Resort rules on sovereign land
Turning Stone is on Oneida Nation land and sets its own labor and vendor rules. Exhibitors typically set up their own booths; larger installs use the resort's staff or an approved contractor; the show kit sets the exact allowance. Purple registers as an approved vendor.
Handled by the resort
Material handling is usually the resort's own team or the show contractor; plan about $95 per hundredweight where billed by weight, and confirm whether the resort charges per piece.
Carpet in the ballrooms
Floor protection under everything, no forklifts, structures under 12 ft. The Event Center and Exhibition Hall take heavier builds.
Nation fire marshal
Flame certificates, covered booths by approval, no open flame, permits for vehicles. Rules follow the resort's own code; confirm the current threshold when the fire plan is submitted.
Resort exclusives
Electrical, rigging, internet, audiovisual and catering are the resort's. Order at the deadline.
Snow at exit 33
Central New York winters close the Thruway in lake-effect bands; ship a day early from November to March.
Nothing to walk to
The resort is rural. Crews eat and sleep on the property; book crew rooms with the block.
Certificates
Naming the organizer and the Oneida Indian Nation's resort entity; Purple's is on file.
Free tool
Turning Stone drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 where handling is billed by weight; confirm per-piece pricing with the resort. All-venue rates and a glossary on the drayage rates page.
Deadlines
Freight countdown for a Turning Stone event
The calendar
Events at Turning Stone
The resort books conferences, dealer meetings and consumer events rather than public trade shows. These are the kinds of events Purple builds for on the property.
| Event type | When | Exhibit format | Typical booths | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York State association conferences | Spring, fall | Exhibit hall in the Exhibition Hall or ballroom | 40–120 | 10×10 rentals |
| Dealer and distributor meetings | Winter, spring | Product showcases in the Event Center | 20–80 | Custom exhibits |
| Agriculture, construction and outdoor expos | Winter | Event Center floor with equipment | 60–150 | 10×20 rentals |
| Consumer shows (bridal, home, RV, sportsman) | Winter, spring | Event Center rows | 80–150 | Booth rentals |
Booth counts are Purple's planning ranges; the resort's diagram sets the maximum for each room.
Logistics
Getting there and staying
- By car: Thruway exit 33 at Verona; 3 hours from Fishkill, 4 from Midtown, 30 minutes from Syracuse or Utica.
- Airports: Syracuse Hancock International is 35 minutes; the resort runs shuttles for groups.
- By train: Amtrak to Utica or Syracuse, then a 30-minute cab or shuttle.
- Freight: docks behind the conference center and Event Center; windows scheduled by the resort. Easy trailer access off the Thruway.
- On property: five hotels, more than 20 restaurants and bars, a spa, three golf courses and the casino. Nothing else within walking distance.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| The Tower | On property | Suites and the closest rooms to the conference center. |
| The Lodge | On property | Luxury rooms for client hosting. |
| The Hotel and The Inn | On property | Standard blocks and crew rooms. |
| Hotels in Verona and Oneida | 10 min | Overflow when the property sells out. |
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Embed the booth converter
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Rooms, docks, vendor registration, deadlines.
Questions
Turning Stone FAQ
Where do exhibits go at Turning Stone?
Conference exhibit halls use the Exhibition Hall or the ballrooms on carpet; larger shows and equipment use the Event Center's concrete floor.
Can I set up my own booth?
Typically yes; larger installs use the resort's staff or an approved contractor. Purple registers as an approved vendor for each event.
Is it union?
The resort is on Oneida Nation land and sets its own rules; exhibit labor is not governed by the Javits jurisdictions.
How do I get there?
Thruway exit 33 at Verona, 30 minutes from Syracuse or Utica and 35 from Syracuse's airport. The resort runs group shuttles.
How much is drayage?
Plan about $95 per hundredweight where handling is billed by weight; the resort may price per piece instead. Confirm before shipping.
Is there anything off property?
Not within walking distance. Crews eat and sleep on the resort; book crew rooms with the block.
What about winter?
Lake-effect bands close the Thruway at times from November to March. Ship a day early.
Where does Purple ship from?
Fishkill, New York, 200 miles by the Thruway. One truck, one day, a day early in winter.
Exhibiting at Turning Stone?
Send us the event and the room. You get a resort-spec design brief, a drayage estimate, vendor registration handled and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.