Oneida Nation confirms plans to build casino in Bridgeport

Instead of looking at it as another way that casinos are oversaturating the market, Picente said he sees it as validation for his reasons to put a gaming facility in Utica.

“I knew they were going to do other (casinos),” Picente said. “I knew they had planned that for Bridgeport and I also know they own more land in Vernon, so the best thing for us is rather than have them do something in Vernon, have them do something in Utica.”

The proposed Utica casino is part of a gaming and entertainment district the county executive hopes to pull together in the downtown area by the Utica Memorial Auditorium. It would be anchored by the Aud, casino and a craft beer museum and innovation Center.

As for the new casino announced Sunday morning, the nation said construction on the gaming facility will begin in May and it is expected to open in spring 2018.

The new facility will be called Point Place Casino and will be located on Route 31, near the corner of Bridgeport-Kirkville Road, just a few hundred feet from the Cicero border.

The smoke-free casino will be approximately 65,000 square feet and will feature a modern gaming floor with nearly 500 slot machines and 20 table games, as well as two fast-casual counter service restaurants, including the newest location of Wicked Good Pizza and Burgers of Madison County.

The casino will also have the second location of Opals Confectionery and will feature two bars.

“We are thrilled to announce this new investment in Central New York, and are confident it will continue the success we have had in working hand-in-hand with the local community to create good jobs and generate public revenues,” said Oneida Nation Enterprises CEO Ray Halbritter in a news release Sunday. “Over the last few decades, we have worked hard to build a well-planned economic model that has sustained and invigorated the local economy – and our expansion projects have almost always exceeded expectations. In the coming months, we are looking forward to working with the community to launch this latest project and build off that success.”

Point Place Casino will create more than 200 full- and part-time jobs and will begin hiring in fall 2017 out of a new recruitment office in Cicero, the nation said in the release.

Picente’s plan to put a casino in downtown Utica has been criticized by people in the community because some are concerned about oversaturation in the market.

Even with Point Place Casino coming in in 2018, Picente said he really doesn’t see that being an issue.

“The saturation argument has been kind of tossed aside,” He said. “There are casinos all throughout the state now, so it’s something that’s part of the economy in some ways. It really is about having them build where it benefits us.”