Alcohol sales to expand at Turning Stone in "roughly two weeks"
Story Created:
May 10, 2010 at 3:19 PM EST
Story Updated:
May 10, 2010 at 5:20 PM EST
VERONA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Just days after the New York State Liquor Authority approved a liquor license for CD Food & Beverage to sell alcohol at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, officials at the resort say those sales could expand in a few weeks.
Senior Vice President of the Oneida Indian Nation Peter Carmen said there is still no signed agreement between the casino and CD Food & Beverage, just the letter of intent which the liquor authority accepted last week. Carmen said once the alcohol sales do expand, so will business for the entire region - not just Turning Stone.
"If our region would view Turning Stone a bit like the anchor store of a mall, that when it does well when it attracts people, everybody does well," Carmen said.
There are no exact numbers, only projections, as to how much more business the casino is expected to do, Carmen said. The new license will, however, allow the Turning Stone to compete with resorts their size for business, added Carmen.
"What we have essentially done is removed the asterisk from Turning Stone," Carmen said.
CD Food & Beverage will keep 100% of the profits from the alcohol sales, but must pay state and county sales tax along with an Oneida Indian Nation sales tax. That amounts to a 16.25% tax, Carmen said. On top of the tax, CD Food & Beverage will pay the Turning Stone Casino a management fee to lease roughly 1,200 of their workers.
Carmen called some of the opposition's arguments against a liquor license for CD Food & Beverage "rhetoric." Those arguments included the company catering for a business who does not pay taxes.
"CD Food and Beverage, we feel, is entitled to a license, but we don't feel they can legally use that license at an illegal facility," said Ralph Dittenhoefer of the Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association last Thursday at the SLA hearing.
Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito was another target of the criticism against CD Food & Beverage. The company is named after Destito's late husband Chris Destito. Oneida Nation officials say they wanted to put that argument to rest once and for all.
"I don't recall a single measure she (Destito) has ever taken in support of the Oneida Nation," Carmen said. "So, if the implication is that the Oneida Nation is engaging in some sort of undue influence, we are wildly unsuccessful at it."
Carmen said there is no immediate plan to expand security at the casino beyond what is already there, saying that they do a good enough job overseeing the gaming floor and the sales of alcohol that is already allowed on the premises from the day to day liquor licenses.
Alcohol will be sold everywhere at Turning Stone, except for the spa, Carmen said.
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