The Hampton Planning Board has granted the Hampton Beach Casino redevelopment a one-year extension to meet 44 conditions attached to its site plan approval, according to a report by Golfweek. The vote on Oct. 7 helps explain why construction has not yet begun: the developers still need sign-offs from multiple town departments and have not announced a groundbreaking date.
Extension approved as conditions remain unresolved
Hampton Town Planner Jason Bachand recommended the extension, telling the board the project team has worked steadily since the day after conditional approval. The Planning Board voted unanimously. The original deadline to satisfy the conditions was Nov. 5, 2026, one year after the project was approved in 2025. The extension does not alter the three-year window allowed for starting construction, according to Bachand.
What the approved project includes
Plans show 99 luxury condominiums, a hotel with 208 rooms, 38,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a charitable gaming casino of 52,000 square feet, and a music and entertainment venue that can hold 3,500 people. A 732-space parking garage is also part of the plan. The existing Casino building dates to 1899, and the Casino Ballroom was added in 1927. Casino owners have said the ballroom would be open for its 100th season in 2027.
Why a building permit cannot be issued yet
Bachand said the developer must check off every condition before the approval can be filed with the state registry of deeds, and that filing is required before a building permit can be issued. The project had been expected to start after the 2026 Seafood Festival, but majority owner Sal Lupoli and part owner Fred Schaake earlier indicated construction would likely wait until at least after the 2027 summer season. Morgan Pierson, senior vice president of real estate and development at Lupoli Companies, said he could not share a groundbreaking date but said the extension does not mean the project is behind. Pierson said the extension "does not impact the effort we are making to progress this redevelopment."
Conditions still require local sign-offs
Among the required sign-offs are the fire department, public works, the board's engineering consultant and the town planner. The public works department has to approve driveway, sewer and excavation permits, while the developer needs Unitil's final electrical plan. The Hampton Heritage Commission and Hampton Historical Society must be consulted on historic preservation matters. The Select Board must also approve a plan to extend F Street drainage into the municipal system, and the developer must accept responsibility for future sidewalk upkeep, including clearing snow. The developer must prepare a sequence that shows which sections of the project will be built and occupied first. If that sequence changes during construction, the building inspector would have to approve the revision after hearing from the engineering consultant, public works and the town planner, Bachand's memo states. Pierson said he could not specify which of the conditions prompted the extension.
No construction start date announced
At the Oct. 7 meeting, Planning Board member Keith Lessard asked about the start date as Lupoli's team left, saying "Everybody is asking when the project's going to start." After no response, he said, "I guess there was no answer to that." Pierson said in an email that the company will provide a "definitive update on the project timeline" as soon as it can. He described the work as a "tremendous effort" involving the project team, local officials, DPW, town planning and third-party consultants.
