Churchill Downs Unveils $180M-$200M Refresh of New Hampshire Casino

• The venue will be renamed Rockingham Grand Casino.
• It currently operates as Casino Salem in Salem, NH.
• Company could spend up to $200 million on the project.

Churchill Downs said today it will spend up to $200 million revamping the gaming venue currently known as Casino Salem in the New Hampshire town of the same name.

The Kentucky-based gaming company forecast expenditures of $180 million to $200 million on the project, adding that the venue, which occupies 19,000 square feet in the The Mall at Rockingham Park, will be rebranded as the Rockingham Grand Casino.

Rockingham Grand Casino will occupy 160,000 square-feet over three floors and will feature 825 historical racing machines, 32 table games, 12 electronic table game seats, a 900-seat live entertainment venue, and several food and beverage concepts, including a center bar and full-service sports bar and restaurant,” according to a statement issued by Churchill Downs.

The gaming company landed approval from the Salem Planning Board last month to move ahead with the project.

Churchill Downs Growing in New Hampshire

Casino Salem is one of several charitable gaming venues located in the Granite State. Churchill Downs announced an agreement last July to acquire a majority interest in the venue. Local developers Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli will retain stakes in the property.

“We are excited to take the next step alongside our valued partners at Churchill Downs as we begin our journey to bring Rockingham Grand Casino to life,” said Faro and Lupoli in the press release. “We remain fully committed to strengthening our local economy through the creation of vibrant consumer destinations.”

The company has another New Hampshire venue — Chasers Poker Room, also in Salem. That property operates independently of the mall-based casino.

Why New Hampshire Matters for Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs’ most widely recognized assets include its namesake racetrack in its home state as well as regional casinos and gaming venues in Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Still, New Hampshire is an opportunity-rich market for the operator as confirmed by the aforementioned capital expenditures and the Salem venue is an avenue for Churchill Downs to add more highly profitable historical racing machines (HRMs).

Charitable gaming features the monetary stakes and potential payouts associated with traditional casino wagering, but it differs in that it’s not operated by a commercial or tribal operator or a government. Rather, it’s run by a charity that farms out gameplay to a company with gaming industry expertise.