SALEM, N.H. — New England’s newest entertainment destination and charitable gaming facility, Casino Salem, will open to the public Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony and special guests.
Phase one will feature a complement of new Historical Horse Racing slot-like games along with a mixture of traditional table games and poker, quick service food and a full bar.
“We are thrilled to open Casino Salem and bring a new amenity to Salem,” said co-owners Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli in a joint statement. “With this initial phase, we are able to drive economic stimulus to our local economy, create new jobs, and increase tourism immediately, setting the foundation to create lasting benefits for the community for decades.”
Present at the ribbon cutting ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m., will be actor Steve Schirripa of The Sopranos, placing the first bets on the Historical Horse Racing machines, co-owners Faro and Lupoli, community leaders, town officials and select members of the public.
The casino will be opened in phases over the next year or so.
“By opening the casino in phases, we can expedite the addition of charitable gaming to the entertainment and tourism assets that Salem has to offer in addition to generating contributions to organizations in need,” said Jeff Favre, executive vice president of Casino Salem.
The casino is expected to generate more than $121 million for charitable gaming organizations during its first 10 years of operation.
Located at The Mall of Rockingham Park, adjacent to Tuscan Village at the former site of Lord & Taylor, which has been vacant since 2020, developers hope the casino will revitalize the space and become a casino of regional destination.
Once complete and all future phases are built out, the three-story casino will feature approximately 900 historical racing machines, 40 gambling tables, several premier food and beverage concepts, a signature center bar, a sports lounge, golf simulators and similar amenities, special event space and more.
If the venue is successful, developers said there could be plans for future expansion that would include a hotel, if the town and the owner of the mall agree.