BOSTON–A major redevelopment is coming to the New Hampshire seacoast, as Lupoli Companies has secured approval to build a sweeping new hotel-and-casino complex at the historic Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, according to reporting by the Boston Business Journal (BBJ).
The Hampton Planning Board granted its approval on Nov. 5, clearing the way for a project that BBJ reported will double the size of the existing casino. According to BBJ, the development will feature a 52,000-square-foot casino, a 208-room hotel, 99 condominiums, a 3,500-person entertainment venue, and amenities including rooftop pools. BBJ reported the project’s cost at $400 million to $600 million.
The remake represents a dramatic transformation of one of New Hampshire’s best-known entertainment landmarks. As BBJ noted, the venue famously hosted major acts in the 1960s—including Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, The Doors, and Simon & Garfunkel—and dates back to 1899, when it was built by the Exeter, Hampton & Amesbury Street Railway to draw crowds to its nearby depot.
BBJ reported that the development team includes Cambridge-based architectural firm PCA, engineering firm TEC, and landscape architect Halvorson. Sal Lupoli, founder of Lupoli Cos. and majority owner of the Hampton Beach site, leads a portfolio that includes the Sal’s Pizza chain, two Hampton Beach hotels, and major mixed-use projects such as Thorndike Exchange in Lowell and Riverwalk in Lawrence. The company is also developing King Street Commons in Littleton.
The site is currently home to Aces & Eights Casino, one of New Hampshire’s 14 casinos. The state’s gaming landscape has expanded quickly, and according to BBJ, two additional casinos opened near the Massachusetts border earlier this year: the Nash Casino at Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua and Casino Salem at Rockingham Park Mall.
With approvals secured, the redevelopment marks a significant milestone for Hampton Beach—one that, as the BBJ reported, blends its storied past with a large-scale new investment aimed at reshaping the region’s entertainment and tourism economy.
