Southern New Hampshire could see yet another new casino

A new charitable gaming facility and entertainment development is being planned to replace a vacant Lord & Taylor department store in Salem, New Hampshire. 

The project, dubbed “Live! Casino Salem,” would be the latest of a growing number of gambling spots in the state’s southern portion. 

The proposed casino at 1 Mall Road is only minutes from Chasers Poker Room and Casino. There are also several gaming facilities at Hampton Beach, along with The Brook in nearby Seabrook.

Live! Casino Salem also won’t be the first Granite State casino to make its home in a department store; the Nash Casino, a converted Sears at Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, is expected to open this winter.

According to the New Hampshire Business Review, 12 casinos were operating in the state as of June, and more were in the proposal stage. 

Although betting on casino-style games in New Hampshire is illegal, charitable betting on games of chance, such as poker, blackjack and roulette, is allowed. 

Charitable betting allows gambling that benefits charities and public education, a law unlike any other state. The primary beneficiaries of gambling are nonprofits rather than the venue. 

In 2021, the state legalized historic horse racing machines. These machines resemble slot machines and work similarly by randomly selecting previous horse races to determine the winner. 

The proposed casino will follow in the footsteps of other casinos in the state. 

Two prominent local developers, Joe Faro of Tuscan Brands and Sal Lupoli of Lupoli Companies, partnered with Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies to develop the proposed Live! Casino at The Mall at Rockingham Park. 

The proposed project is adjacent to the Faro’s Tuscan Village shopping mall.

Plans for Live! Casino Salem:

According to plans submitted to the Salem Planning Board, the three-story charitable gaming, entertainment, and dining destination will cost $160 million to build. 

The first floor will feature 60,000 square feet of gaming and restaurants. The second floor will have an event center space, a sports lounge, golf simulators, and more restaurants. The third floor will serve as back-of-the-house office space. 

Live! Casino Salem will offer over 900 historical horse racing machines, 40-plus betting tables, four restaurants and a signature center bar. 

The developers estimate the annual gaming tax revenue will be about $31 million and provide local charities with over $121.1 million in its first 10 years of operation. 

In addition, the developers say the casino will generate over 700 permanent jobs. 

The mall also has ample parking and is in an ideal spot, located right off Route 93. 

The Boston Business Journal named Lupoli Companies the second largest developer in Massachusetts. It is best known for operating over 130 locations of Sal’s Pizza. 

Tuscan Brands is best known for its restaurant chain, Tuscan Kitchen. It operates over four million square feet of mixed-use real estate and The Artisan Chef, an automated artisanal production space.

The Cordish Companies develops and operates dining, entertainment, and hospitality destinations nationwide, many of which fall under the company’s Live! Brand. 

The developers will present their plans before the Salem Planning Board on Sept. 24. 

Lupoli Companies said it was too early to comment on the project. Boston.com could not reach Joe Faro of Tuscan Brands by phone or email. Cordish Companies did not provide further information.