In 2016, the renowned Rockingham Park in Salem — a legendary racetrack 35 miles north of Boston — closed for good. The 170-acre plot of land on which it sat, served by an exit off Interstate 93, remained empty for some time until it was purchased by local food manufacturer Joe Faro.

Faro imagined the site as a great location for a retail-based mixed-use center, but he had no experience as a developer. So he hired Mike Powers , a Simon and Starwood leasing veteran, to help him put a plan together.

“Joe and I spent some time traveling the country visiting suc­cessful mixed-use projects to get ideas,” said Powers. “One of the interesting things about him is his talent for asking the right questions and absorbing information. He has a great ability to learn from other people’s successes an

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