Prominent New Hampshire Developers Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli, the Cordish Companies Receive Approval from Salem, NH Planning Board for $200+ Million Charitable Gaming and Entertainment Destination
Live! Casino Salem Envisioned to Draw Patrons from Across New England; Feature World-Class Gaming, Entertainment and Dining; Create Thousands of Jobs; and Generate Millions in Economic Development
Salem, NH (November 27, 2024) – Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli, prominent developers and civic leaders in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and The Cordish Companies received approval to develop a new $200+ million charitable gaming, entertainment and dining destination at The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH. LIVE! CASINO SALEM is envisioned to draw patrons from across New England, generate millions of dollars in economic benefits and spin off development, create thousands of new jobs and benefits to the local community and charitable organizations, and become a major new tourist destination for the Southern New Hampshire region and all of New England.
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“We thank the members of the Salem Planning Board for their approval of this world-class destination,” said Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli. “We are thrilled to join our partners, The Cordish Companies, to deliver Live! Casino Salem, a project that will drive economic stimulus to our local economy, create thousands of new jobs, and increase tourism. Live! Casino Salem will become a world-class gaming, entertainment and dining destination that will create lasting benefits for the community for decades.”
Ideally located at The Mall at Rockingham Park adjacent to Faro’s iconic Tuscan Village, Live! Casino Salem is uniquely positioned to build on the positive synergies created by the three economic drivers. The project site is located in the former Lord & Taylor department store at the southern side of the mall, which has been mostly vacant since the end of 2020. The project will revitalize the space and become a world-class gaming, entertainment and dining destination spanning three levels. The property will include approximately 900+ historical horse racing machines, 40+ table games including poker, several premier food and beverage concepts, a signature center bar, a sports lounge, golf simulators and similar amenities, special event space and more.
Charitable gaming involves offering casino gaming to the public with a substantial portion of the gaming revenue going to support New Hampshire charities. Live! Casino Salem is expected to generate approximately $128 million in annual economic stimulus to the region and $31 million in annual revenue to the state of New Hampshire and participating charities. Over its first ten years of operations, Live! Casino Salem is projected to provide more than $121.1 million in funding for charitable organizations in Salem and the surrounding area. The project will support job growth, drive tourism, and provide opportunities for local, minority, women and veteran-owned businesses. Over 700 new permanent jobs will be created for ongoing operations at Live! Casino Salem for local and regional residents. An additional $275 million will be generated in economic benefits during construction, including 1,800 direct and indirect job opportunities.
“We thank the Salem Planning Board for their approval of Live! Casino Salem and look forward to contributing to the economic growth of the Southern New Hampshire region through this project and our partnership with Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli,” said Rob Norton, President of Cordish Gaming Group. “We share the same commitment to excellence, creating unforgettable experiences for our guests and team members and becoming active members of the community.”
Live! Casino Salem marks the latest collaboration between longtime friends and partners, Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli. In 2019, Faro founded The Artisan Chef Manufacturing Company, and in 2021 formed a partnership with Lupoli’s company, Sal’s Production, the manufacturing arm of Sal’s Pizza, the New England-based pizza empire with over 130 retail locations including Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and TD Garden. This move marked Faro and Lupoli’s re-entry into the food manufacturing business. The partners currently operate four facilities across three states totaling over 650,000-square-feet of state-of-the-art space dedicated to producing artisanal food products. These facilities are highly automated and focused on the production of high-quality, handcrafted food items that mirror the excellence seen in the restaurant and retail operations of both Tuscan Brands, Sal’s Pizza and most recently, the acquisition of Buitoni USA, one of the country’s largest producers of fresh pasta and sauces – making Artisan Chef Manufacturing one of the largest producers of artisanal refrigerated pasta and sauces in the nation.
For over a century, The Cordish Companies has created and managed an extraordinary portfolio of upscale mixed-use, entertainment and casino resort destinations throughout the United States. Its Live! brand, highly regarded as one of the premier entertainment brands in the country, welcomes over 55 million annual visitors to its dining, entertainment, casino, hotel, and sports-anchored entertainment districts, many of which have revitalized communities and reshaped the social and economic landscape of major markets across the country. This transformational effect has earned the Company an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for its urban revitalization efforts, more than any other developer in the world. For over two decades, Live! has dramatically changed the entertainment experience, creating one-of-a kind destinations that offer a curated year-round calendar of special events, premier dining venues, first-class hospitality, and the best of local, regional and national entertainment.
In gaming, The Cordish Companies has developed the most successful casino entertainment resorts in the U.S. including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, FL; the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, FL; Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland; Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia; and Live! Casino Pittsburgh. The award-winning properties have been nationally recognized for excellence in operations, food and beverage offerings, and its Live! Rewards Loyalty Program, annually named one of the best casino loyalty programs in the country by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards.
Live! Casino Salem, which is expected to be developed in phases, is projected to open in 2025. The project is subject to approval by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission.
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About Joe Faro/Tuscan Brands
Founded in 2010, Tuscan Brands is the culmination of Joe Faro’s serial entrepreneurial background and operates in four primary industry verticals, hospitality, real estate development, food manufacturing, and philanthropy. Joe's entrepreneurial journey began in his parent's bakery, where he gained valuable experience that later helped him develop a business plan at the University of New Hampshire. Over the next 18 years, Joseph’s Gourmet Pasta and Sauces grew to become the largest producer of specialty pasta and sauce in the country, ultimately culminating in a sale to Buitoni Food Company, a former division of Nestle Prepared Foods in 2006. After a brief retirement, Joe’s passion for developing people and the surrounding communities led him to the next chapter of his entrepreneurial journey. Tuscan Brands was born in 2010 with the creation of the critically acclaimed Tuscan Kitchen restaurant in Salem, NH. Since then, Tuscan Brands has grown into one of the region’s largest hospitality enterprises. Tuscan Brands also develops and operates over 4M sf of mixed-use real estate including retail, medical, office, hotels, and residential. Following a decade-long hiatus from food manufacturing, in 2019 Joe founded The Artisan Chef Manufacturing Company, in 2021, he partnered with longtime friend and entrepreneur Sal Lupoli from Sal’s Pizza. Currently, The Artisan Chef operates 550,000 square feet of highly automated artisanal production space, producing a wide range of products for various markets. This includes brands like Tuscan Kitchen, Sal’s Pizza, and the recently acquired Buitoni Food Company, which offers fresh pasta and sauces. Interestingly, Buitoni is the same company Joe sold his original pasta business to nearly 20 years ago. At the heart of Tuscan Brands is the Tuscan Brands Foundation and our commitment to the communities in which we serve. We are proud supporters of The Boys and Girls Clubs, The Italian Home for Children, The Lazarus House, Cross Roads House, various Veteran organizations and host Veterans Day luncheons feeding over 3,000 Veterans annually, emphasizing a commitment to helping children and breaking the cycle of poverty.
About Sal Lupoli/Lupoli Companies
Lupoli Companies, recently named the second largest developer in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal, is an award-winning organization with over two decades of growth and development throughout New England. Sal Lupoli, the founder and CEO of Lupoli Companies has focused on creating opportunities in gateway cities that transform communities through job creation and growth in economic development. Lupoli is a catalyst entrepreneur and an innovative strategist. Sal started a small family run business in the hospitality industry and has grown his brands to include over 6 million square feet of commercial and residential real estate. A recipient of numerous entrepreneurial and philanthropic awards, Lupoli credits the team and family around him for his organization’s success. Sal is a graduate of the prestigious MIT Sloan of Management and is a sought after corporate and motivational speaker. Lupoli Companies also prides itself on its dedication to and support of several charitable organizations throughout New England. Lupoli Companies core industries, although independent, are bound by a desire for continuous improvement of the products and services provided in the communities it serves. Lupoli Companies’ renowned brands include Sal’s Pizza, with over 130 retail locations, including Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and TD Garden; Riverwalk Innovation District, a bustling 50-acre mixed use campus along the Merrimack River that has revitalized the city of Lawrence, MA; award-winning full-service restaurants 34 Park in Andover, MA and BOSA Coastal Italian in Haverhill, MA and the Riverwalk Lofts luxury apartment community in Lawrence, MA.
About The Cordish Companies
The Cordish Companies' origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately held, family ownership. During the past ten decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into a global leader in Gaming & Entertainment; Commercial Real Estate; Entertainment Districts; Sports-Anchored Developments; Hotels; Residential Properties; Restaurants; Coworking Spaces; and Private Equity. One of the largest and most respected developers in the world, The Cordish Companies has been awarded an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for public-private developments that are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. The Cordish Companies has developed and operates highly acclaimed dining, entertainment and hospitality destinations throughout the United States, many falling under The Cordish Companies' Live! Brand, highly regarded as one of the premier entertainment brands in the country. Welcoming over 55 million visitors per year, these developments are among the highest profile dining, entertainment, gaming, hotel and sports-anchored destinations in the country. In gaming, The Cordish Companies has developed among the most successful casino hotel resorts in the world, including the Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, FL, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, Live! Casino Pittsburgh and Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia. Over the generations, The Cordish Companies has remained true to the family's core values of quality, entrepreneurial spirit, long-term personal relationships and integrity. As a testimony to the long-term vision of its family leadership, The Cordish Companies still owns and manages virtually every business it has created. For more information, visit www.cordish.com or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @cordishco.
“The Cordish Companies,” “The Cordish Company” and “Cordish” are trademarks used under license by independent corporations, legal liability companies and partnerships (“Cordish Entities”). Each Cordish Entity is a separate, single-purpose legal entity that is solely responsible for its obligations and liabilities. No common operations or financial interdependency, and no intermingling of assets or liabilities of the Cordish Entities exists, or should be deemed to exist, as a result of the potential common reference to multiple independent entities operating under the names “Cordish,” “The Cordish Companies” or “The Cordish Company” here or elsewhere.
Media Contacts:
Rina Peselman
Tuscan Brands
Casey Sherman
Regan Communications Group for Lupoli Companies
Cari Furman
The Cordish Companies