News
Greenmeadow Announces Development of The Sagamore Crossing Golf Resort & Convention Center
February 19, 2010
For Immediate Release
CONTACT:
Thomas J. Leonard
(603) 889-3211 ext 14
(Hudson, NH) – Today, the Friel family, owners of the Greenmeadow Golf Course, announced their plans to develop The Sagamore Crossing Golf Resort & Convention Center. The 375-acre property nestled along the Merrimack River in Hudson, will feature a 300 room luxury hotel and spa, 18 hole championship golf course and 50,000 square feet of convention and meeting space. The plans include a riverfront park with trails and other recreational activities.
Jay Leonard, Vice Pres. at Greenmeadow Golf Club confirmed that they are also pursuing the possibility of having gaming as an amenity at the site. Mr. Leonard stated that the NH Legislature is currently considering several proposals for expanded gaming in the state. He explained that SB 489 will be discussed by the New Hampshire Senate. The bill proposes to expand the tourist and entertainment industries by allowing destination gaming at the Greenmeadow Golf Club location, at 3 race tracks and at 2 locations in the North Country.
The Friels hired Clyde Barrow, PHD and public policy expert from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth to study the feasibility of gaming at the Sagamore Crossing resort. The study concluded that an upscale resort with gaming would complement other facilities proposed for the site. Leonard confirmed that, if the state allows expanded gaming, Sagamore Crossing will also include 135,000 square feet of gaming space that will include video lottery terminals, table games, restaurants, retail shopping and entertainment.
As proposed, the Sagamore Crossing Golf Resort and Convention Center will generate significant economic benefits to the state and the region by providing $60 Million dollars in licensing fees and approximately $135 Million dollars in annual revenues to the state, Hudson and surrounding communities. The Sagamore Crossing will create almost 2000 construction jobs and more than 3800 good paying permanent jobs with benefits. Under the proposed bill, Sagamore Crossing will be a very substantial source of new revenues to the region generating annual revenues of approximately $9 Million dollars for the town of Hudson, $3.2 Million dollars per year to a fund shared by the contiguous communities, and $3.2 Million dollars per year designated for operational funding of commuter rail from Lowell to Nashua.
"We believe this is just the type of destination resort that our region needs for economic development. Economic studies show that The Sagamore Crossing will be a boon to tourism with more than 80% of visitors coming from outside of New Hampshire. This is good news for our local and regional economy and will help to grow new businesses and new jobs," said Jay Leonard, Vice President of Greenmeadow.
