In Haudenosaunee country, not far from the geographic center of New York State, a miracle is unfolding. A community, economic development and job opportunities are growing at an unprecedented pace. This miracle is taking place at the Oneida Indian Nation, a federally recognized Indian Nation located in Central New York.
History of the Oneida Nation
While the people of the Oneida Nation have been on this land since time immemorial, the Oneida story is not well known. Before Europeans came to this country, the Oneida People inhabited millions of acres of land stretching from the St. Lawrence River in the north to the Susquehanna River in the south. The Oneidas believe that land and its natural resources should be shared. This belief made it possible for them to be systematically robbed of their lands through illegal transactions which ignored guarantees and rights, secured in part by their friendship with the colonists who formed the United States and in treaties made with the U.S. and signed by George Washington.
The Oneida People were the colonists’ first allies in the Revolutionary War. Oneida warriors fought side-by-side with the colonists in many battles throughout the war. It might even be said that the Oneidas saved George Washington’s starving army at Valley Forge when the Oneida People carried over 600 bushels of corn on their backs for 300 miles in mid-winter to feed the soldiers. In gratitude for the loyalty, courage and suffering of the Oneida People during the Revolutionary War, the United States government signed the Treaty of Canandaigua in 1794. This treaty affirmed the sovereign right of the Oneida Nation to govern its lands and affairs in perpetuity and to be secure on its own lands.
The Oneida Nation Today
Despite the losses and poverty of the past 200 years, the Oneida Nation survived. Today the Oneida People have created a wealth of new opportunities and hope for themselves and for the Central New York region. The Nation has grown into the area’s largest private employer, providing jobs for nearly 5,000 people.
Businesses operated by the Nation include:
- Turning Stone Resort & Casino, with a 285-room luxury hotel, 287-room Tower Hotel, three championship golf courses, a domed golf academy, multiple fine dining restaurants, first-class entertainment in the Showroom and Event Center, specialty retail shops and some of the most exciting gaming in the Northeast.
- The Lodge at Turning Stone, a 98-suite luxury retreat next to the Shenendoah Clubhouse at Turning Stone.
- The Inn at Turning Stone, a moderately priced 63-room motel, located just 1.5 miles from the resort.
- The Villages at Turning Stone RV Park, located half a mile from the resort.
- Four Directions Productions, a high-quality animation video production house.
- Four Directions Media, publisher of Indian Country Today, a multimedia publisher of news and information important to all Native communities.
- The SāvOn chain of gas stations and convenience stores.
- Standing Stone Gaming, which manufactures, markets and distributes the Oneida Nation's patented cashless gaming operating system.
With wages and compensation of $121 million paid in 2006, the Nation is the third largest employer in a 16-county region and a substantial contributor to the region's economic well-being. Also in 2006, the Nation spent more than $337 million with outside vendors, about half from New York State, as well as $41 million on construction as part of its expansion of Turning Stone and capital improvements.This activity has spun off over 7,100 direct and indirect jobs in the economy.
Enterprise proceeds make possible a vastly improved quality of life for Oneida Members. The Nation provides numerous programs and services, and is improving the community with new housing, an early childhood learning center, a congregate meals and enrichment program for the Nation’s Elders, a new Children and Elders Center and a multi-faceted Recreation and Youth Development Center and programs.
Believing that education is the key to self-help, the Nation funds a full range of educational awards and incentive programs including full scholarships and tuition for Members from kindergarten to high school as well as scholarships and tuition assistance for college-going members of all ages.