VERONA, NY – Turning Stone Enterprises has announced a series of promotions and new hires ahead of the June 29 opening of the $370 million Turning Stone Evolution, the resort’s largest expansion to date. The changes are intended to support the expansion of the property’s meetings and convention offerings. The team includes respected leaders who have spent years cultivating Turning Stone’s culture, service standards and award-winning hospitality portfolio and newcomers to the organization from some of the world’s most prominent resorts and destinations.
The Crescent, the resort’s fourth hotel on property featuring 258 luxurious new guest rooms with scenic views, a dedicated entrance and check-in, as well as indoor connectivity to all the resort’s amenities, will open on June 29, 2026, along with the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Salt. An elevated seafood concept with an expansive raw bar, Salt will offer sweeping views of the resort’s Upstate New York surroundings and two outdoor terraces for three season outdoor dining.
The Grand Expo, which will double the resort’s meetings and conventions space to 200,000 sq. ft., will open Labor Day Weekend.
Promotions include:
- Jerry Marrello, who has been elevated to SVP for Hospitality for Turning Stone Enterprises. Marrello was promoted in March after a career with the organization spanning 20 years, beginning with a role as a server at Emerald Restaurant. His subsequent promotions to Director of Nightlife, GM of Point Place Hotel Casino (previously Point Place Casino), and most recently, VP for Regional Casinos has provided him with a deep well of knowledge in multiple facets of hospitality operations.
- Chris Thomas, who has been promoted to Chef de Cuisine for Salt from his previous role as a Chef with the Turning Stone Banquets team. In his new role, Chef Thomas will leverage his experience to lead Salt’s talented kitchen team and oversee daily operations and menu development at the resort’s newest fine-dining restaurant.
- Felix Mares, who has been promoted to Director of Event Technology & Telecommunications and formerly served as the organization’s Event Technology Director. With over 20 years of experience leading audiovisual operations in hospitality and corporate settings that include the Encore – Fairmont Austin, PSAV – Hyatt Lost Pines and more, Mares is well-prepared to lead the team in supporting guests with the latest A/V technology for events with in-person, remote and hybrid attendance.
- Chelsey Lavere, who has been promoted to Associate Director of Sales from her previous role of Senior Sales Manager for Meetings & Conventions. In her new role, she will drive guest relationships and facilitate curated experiences for a fast-growing base of meeting and convention clients.
- Shenequa Wittman, currently the Assistant Executive Housekeeper for the Brook and Tower Hotels at Turning Stone, will help lead the housekeeping team at The Crescent as its Assistant Executive Housekeeper. Wittman has been a valued member of Turning Stone’s housekeeping team for over 20 years, beginning her journey as a turndown attendant and steadily earning promotions to leadership positions.
New team members in support of The Crescent, Salt and The Grand Expo include:
- Lloyd Bansil, who has joined the organization as Executive Chef for Turning Stone Resort Casino. He will also oversee culinary operations at Salt and The Grand Expo upon their opening. Chef Bansil brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked with renowned chef David Chang at Momofuku in Las Vegas, and, more recently, WinStar World Casino.
- Kevin Reeder, the new Front Office Manager for The Crescent Hotel, will oversee the front desk and front service operations for the new hotel. He comes to the organization with over 15 years of experience in all areas of hotel operations and was a driving force at the Somerset Resort in Turks & Caicos, helping them receive their Forbes Four Star rating.
- Michael Yaffe, who recently joined as Assistant Executive Chef for Banquets. Chef Yaffe brings with him considerable experience from Las Vegas and, most recently, as Executive Chef at Foxwoods Resort.
- Matthias Maier, who recently joined the organization as Director of Banquet Operations and will head those services for both Turning Stone Resort Casino and The Grand Expo. Prior to Turning Stone, Maier held similar leadership roles at Aria and Vdara Las Vegas.
“With today’s announcement, we are building on our commitment to excellence by elevating proven leaders within our organization and bringing in new talent as we get steps closer to becoming New York’s largest meetings and convention resort destination,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Turning Stone Enterprises CEO.
