Golf championship = major accomplishment

Another milestone for the Oneida NationIf there was any lingering doubt, the inaugural Turning Stone Resort Championship proved that the Oneida Indian Nation of New York has at least two major accomplishments to claim as its own.

One is the creation of an economic engine in an area depressed not only in fiscal opportunity but also in spirit. OIN's business enterprises, consisting of a major destination resort/casino complex, a media production company (Four Directions Media, parent company of Indian Country Today), a chain of service stations/convenience stores and several other endeavors, have created jobs and income in a region long ignored by the state Legislature and bloated bureaucracy.

The other, and perhaps more important, accomplishment is nothing shy of a milestone. The OIN became the first Indian nation to host a nationally sanctioned professional sporting event on tribally owned land. And that event--a four-day PGA golf tournament featuring top professional players--was a spectacular success that might easily get bigger and better.