Selectmen Pledge Support for Rockingham Park

At Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, president Ed Callahan reiterated his support for keeping the fight going for expanded gambling at his race track.

At the same time, selectmen reiterated their support for the development of Rockingham Park into a resort casino.

Callahan wanted to provide selectmen with an update on the track's future plans after

Outgoing Gov. John Lynch said to bring casino gambling to the Granite State.

According to Callahan, Rockingham Park will continue to support legislation that would expand gambling in the state, but the challenge of Massachusetts casinos will present a shortened timetable for viability.

"We feel the window is beginning to close," Callahan said, adding the first casino in Massachusetts could open within the next two years.

A difficult revenue situation would likely continue without a casino for Rockingham Park. Callahan said the track lost 50 percent of its revenue after Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino opened in 1992 and further lost when the state stripped funding of the live racing regulatory body several years ago.

Callahan is hopeful a new governor will be supportive of expanded gambling legislation.

"Hopefully that will change some of the direction of our legislature," he said. "We continue to feel the best economic solution for that property is the continuation of gaming."

Millennium Gaming holds an option to develop Rockingham Park into a casino if gambling legislation were ever to be passed.

Alternatives for Rockingham Park without gaming are minimal, with few clamoring for more office or retail space in town, Callahan said.

"If (Rockingham Park) opened up for retail, most would rather be on that property than on Route 28," Callahan said. "We don't want to negatively impact 28."

Selectman Pat Hargreaves suggested the board send letters to 2012 gubernatorial candidates stating its support for expanded gambling.

The idea of a new nonbinding referendum was also brought up to guage local interest for casino gambling in Salem. Callahan said voters went in favor of expanded gambling in 1994 and again in 2003.

A unanimous vote by selectmen at the end of their discussion declared their support for making Rockingham Park a casino.