CNY Business Journal (1996+): Private club set to open at casino

VERONA - When you are already the premier destination resort in Upstate, what do you do for an encore? Open a private, members-only, fine-dining club that features French cuisine.

Ray Halbritter, Turning Stone Resort & Casino CEO, set the tone in the Oneida Indian Nation's 2004 Annual Report. "We have always prided ourselves as good hosts who serve good food and give our guests true value for their money ... We have taken all we do to new heights; we want everything about our guests' visits to be memorable."

In early spring, Turning Stone will take its guests to new heights by opening Club two.one atop its new 19-story hotel Tower at Turning Stone. To enter, you need either an individual or corporate membership. Individual members will pay an annual fee of $2,000 to $3,500, depending upon whether the member selects the standard or gold category. Corporate memberships will range from $4,000 to $6,000 annually, again depending upon whether the corporation selects the standard or gold designation. In addition, each member is expected to spend at least $500 per month on food and beverage.

To pamper its members, Turning Stone is hiring a staff of 30. Gene Campbell, the club manager, formerly worked as a captain at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and at the Marine Room in La Jolla. He earned honors as a master sommelier from the French Sommelier program at the University of Bordeaux and as an advance sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, Culinary Institute of America in Napa, Calif. Craig Peck, the executive sous chef, is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He has worked at the five-star, five-diamond Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia and was the executive chef at Philadelphia's City Tavern.

Heather Jennie, the concierge, worked professionally in the theater arts before joining Turning Stone to help open the 98suite Lodge and as the supervisor of Wild Flowers restaurant, the premier dining facility at the Lodge. Jill Duke, membership sales manager, has spent the last 10 years working in the Central New York travel and tourism market, In March 2003, Duke was named hotel sales manager at Turning Stone.

Besides access and dining, membership entitles you to club concierge service, discounted show tickets at Turning Stone, and complimentary valet service. It also permits you to use the private elevator to the club, the fitness club located on the third floor, and private lockers. If you are a golfer, your membership ensures preferred tee times, use of the allweather, indoor golf dome, golf lessons, and reduced greens fees. Members are also eligible for private-invitation events like cigar parties, chef specials, and a gentleman's or lady's night out.

To ensure that each visit to Club two.one is memorable, Turning Stone chose Brennan, Beer and Gorman of New York City as the architects and Wilson & Associates of Dallas for the interior design. From 1,000-pound, copper-plated doors at the entrance to 800-pound chandeliers hanging over the bar, the decor is contemporary, bold, yet comfortable, The restaurant has a variety of geometric shapes, which carries into the lounge area, video room, and private dining room. The idea is to transport you back to the early 20th century - a period of timeless elegance. Complementing the interior is the exterior: a spectacular view in all directions.

Club two.one plans to offer a five-star level of service. "The restaurant has chosen the European style of team service," says Campbell, "in which each table is assigned a captain who has overall responsibility, a front server to follow the meal flow, a back server who attends to items like bread and water, and a dining attendant who clears," The club also offers sommelier service to satisfy every oenophile and spirits connoisseur.

Duke says that "Club two.one is targeting individual and corporate members located within a 90-mile radius of Turning Stone." The promotional campaign has not been finalized, but will consist of direct mail, face-to-face solicitations, personal invitations to private parties to sample both the cuisine and atmosphere, and invitations to the media to explore the facility.