Walking through the land of the Greyhound Casino & Tavern in Seabrook, New Hampshire, you can feel history leaking out of almost every corner.
Located a mile north of the Massachusetts border and less than an hour’s drive from Boston, the family-owned 75-acre property has hosted a daily greyhound race for nearly 40 years. And the remnants of those glory days are still widespread.
Even though greyhound racing has been outlawed in the state, the tote boards and oval tracks where the dogs have compulsorily chased the bait named “Yankey” can be clearly seen through a floor-to-ceiling glass window. Although largely unused, dozens of betting windows remain. On a recent Friday afternoon, when a handful of people were betting on a simultaneous race in another state, they were surrounded by trophies, plaques, and other greyhound racing memorabilia hanging on their walls. 바카라
Despite this storied past, the 90,000-square-foot facility has struggled since live racing was shut down in 2010. You can bet seven days a week on simulated races. There is also a Seabrook Poker Room, which offers busy daily events and a small charity casino at the other end of the track, but on most days, the huge parking lot right next to Route 107 doesn’t have much traffic.
“There’s definitely a certain charm to a track like this,” one longtime customer sipped a draft beer at the center bar while watching the race on the monitor. “It’s been quiet for a long time, but we’re excited about the changes that are coming. It could be what the doctor ordered for this place.”
The new optimism comes after Nevada-based Eureka Casino Resort announced in late January that it had purchased the property. Not only does the 100 percent employee-owned company have a grand vision and extensive experience in the casino/game industry (which owns and operates Eureka Casino in Las Vegas and Eureka Casino Resort in Mesquite), but the two executives leading the charge have local ties, meaning the deal is more than just a business decision.
“We tried to diversify by industry and geographically, and when we do, we see a place where you are comfortable and have a sense of the market,” explained Carrier, who grew up between Southeastern Massachusetts and White Mountain in New Hampshire. Lee attended high school in St. Paul’s, near Concord, North Carolina, and graduated from Harvard. “So, naturally one of the places you’ll look at is home, and that’s what we did.
“We started to see the game market in New Hampshire, and we thought there was a huge opportunity, if not quite as mature as in most other states. We like the area for a lot of reasons, and we think it’s a great fit for us.”
The Eureka Casino Resort wasted no time rolling up its sleeves and starting an extreme renovation called “Project Granite” (New Hampshire is known as the Granite State). Construction began in February with the property open for business. Last month, the Greyhound Casino & Tavern, which features a very comfortable “skimming” feel, was unveiled. The non-smoking area features a granite bar and a high-end table, as well as six new poker tables, 11 game tables such as blackjack, Mississippi studs, and three-card poker, along with the entire “pub-style” menu. There are also nearly 20 TVs, a ton of Boston sports collections adorning the walls, and free Wi-Fi. In addition, the tournament’s poker room, which consists of 12 tables adjacent to the new tavern, has received face lifts with new carpets, new tables, and new paint coats.