The Casinò Municipale di San Pellegrino Terme (Municipal Casino of San Pellegrino Terme) is an Italian casino located in San Pellegrino Terme.
The casino was built in conjunction with the Grand Hotel as a part of the modernization project of San Pellegrino Terme. The building was designed by Romolo Squadrelli, a Milanese architect who was also responsible for the construction of the Grand Hotel. It was built between 1904 and 1906. In 1907 it started the gambling activity which lasted only 10 years, with some interruptions. In fact in 1917 it was closed in application of the Orlando law. It subsequently reopened a few years later but closed again in 1924 by order of the Duce. In 1946 it reopened thanks to an agreement with the allied armies but closed in the following months due to management problems. In the 1950s and 1960s the casino fell into disrepair.
The Casino of San Pellegrino Term is Acknowledged as one of the greatest expressions of Art Nouveau in Lombardy,
From 2010 to 2014 there were restoration works that involved all the internal and external decorations, but gambling never returned.
Than the Mayor of San Pellegrino Terme, in Lombardy, Northern Italy, called for the parliamentary leaders of Lombardy, the regional councilors of Bergamo, the trade unions and the mayors of the municipalities of the valley to unite in an effort to reopen the region’s casino saying it would bring strength to the tourist development of the entire Valley.
The Mayor was arguing that the effect that reopening the casino could have on the labour market and tourism throughout the Valley, affected by an economic crisis and unemployement . It was unsuccessful.
With the bankruptcy and closure of the Casino de Campione in 2018, some tried to reopen the San Pellegrino casino to replace it, which was again unsuccessful.
Today, the Casino is not a place for gambling anymore but a venue for conventions, weddings, exhibitions and conferences .
PLAQUE AND JETON ( photo from eBay.it)
Curiosity
On the label of the bottles of one of the most world famous mineral water produced by the nearby San Pellegrino, the stylized Municipal Casino appears in the upper part with the background of snow-capped mountains .The drawing was copied and adapted from a vintage photo from 1907, taken during the inauguration of the casino.
