VERONA — Lenox, Massachusetts–based Benchmark Development on Sept. 30 announced it will soon start construction of its newest hotel, Hampton Inn by Hilton, near Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona. Construction is slated to begin in October and the developer anticipates opening the hotel next summer. The 64,000-square-foot Hampton Inn by Hilton Verona will be […]
VERONA — Lenox, Massachusetts–based Benchmark Development on Sept. 30 announced it will soon start construction of its newest hotel, Hampton Inn by Hilton, near Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona.
Construction is slated to begin in October and the developer anticipates opening the hotel next summer.
The 64,000-square-foot Hampton Inn by Hilton Verona will be located at 5186 Route 365, and will feature 109 guest rooms, a fitness center, indoor pool, and other amenities, Benchmark said in a news release. It will be situated on Oneida Indian Nation lands, adjacent to Turning Stone and be “designed to mirror the look of the property.” The developer didn’t disclose the cost of the project.
“Turning Stone Resort Casino is one of the most successful resorts and destinations in New York. The ability for Turning Stone, year after year, to attract over 4.5 million visitors creates a strong basis for our investment. There has also been significant business growth in the surrounding communities, so additional hotel rooms will support that growth,” Brian Cohan, president of Benchmark Development, tells CNYBJ in explaining the rationale for the new hotel.
Salina–based Parsons-McKenna Construction Co., Inc. is the contractor on the project, while Colchester, Vermont–based Wiemann Lamphere is the architect, Cohan notes.
When asked how and when the discussions with the Oneida Nation got started, Cohan replies, “Benchmark identified Verona as a potential opportunity approximately two years ago and the Oneida Nation was our first phone call. Our discussions were immediately meaningful and productive and together Benchmark and the Oneida Indian Nation have worked closely to bring this hotel from an idea to reality.”
From the Oneida Nation point of view, the new hotel will add to the lodging options available to Turning Stone customers.
“We see the new Hampton Inn as a strong complement to all that is offered at Turning Stone, and we are always thrilled to help generate and maintain additional economic activity in the area,” Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO, said in the Benchmark news release. “Many businesses have literally grown up around Turning Stone and that’s a good thing, and evidence that our enterprises are a magnet and strong economic engine for the entire region.”
Benchmark Development is a real-estate development firm with focus areas including mixed-use, hotel, adaptive re-use, student housing, and multi-family residential development.
Property manager
Benchmark Development has selected Danbury, Connecticut–based Meyer Jabara Hotels to manage the day-to-day operations of the Hampton Inn by Hilton Verona property once it opens. Benchmark describes Meyer Jabara as a “management company familiar with the New York hotel market and Hilton brands.”
Meyer Jabara Hotels is a hospitality company that owns, operates, or leasing hotels and restaurants in 10 states throughout the eastern portion of the U.S. The company was formed in 1977 as Motel Hotel Associates through the partnership of William Meyer, a specialist in real property law, and Richard Jabara, a second-generation hotelier. Its portfolio of hotels includes Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Hyatt Place brands, as well as several independent hotels, per Benchmark.
“We are delighted to be in partnership with Benchmark Development and the Oneida Indian Nation for this exciting hotel management deal,” Justin Jabara, VP of acquisitions and development for Meyer Jabara Hotels, said. “Because of the hotel’s modular construction — with sections of the hotel fabricated off site to brand specifications — it will be built in half the time. The look of the hotel will mirror that of the Turning Stone Resort Casino, with the public space mirroring its lodge-like design. More importantly, Hampton Inn Verona guests won’t have to go far to experience the best in gaming, dining and entertainment with everything they could possibly want right next door. It’s with the same spirit of hospitality bestowed by the Oneida Indian Nation at Turning Stone Resort Casino that we are eager to welcome guests to Verona’s newest upscale select-service hotel in the coming year.”
Turning Stone already has three of its own hotels on site: The Hotel at Turning Stone Resort Casino, the Tower at Turning Stone, and the Lodge at Turning Stone. It also has the lower-priced The Inn at Turning Stone, located two miles down Route 365.
Other hotels located in the Turning Stone area include the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Verona, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Verona, and La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Verona.