Regulator Nixes Sale of Controversial New Hampshire Casino

After years of tense relationships with the Granite State, Concord Casino may be out of time.

The New Hampshire Attorney General has decided not to approve the casino’s sale to a new buyer. This decision is a significant blow to owner Andy Sanborn, who has been attempting to find a buyer for almost two years. While the Attorney General’s office declined to comment on the reasoning for rejecting the sale, many believe it is due to Sanborn’s checkered past.

The state forced Sanborn to sell his Concord Casino after he was accused of misappropriating funds received as pandemic aid for small businesses. The Attorney General is looking to convict the casino owner of felony theft, which likely influenced its decision to reject the sale.

Lawyers for Concord and Sanborn didn’t mince words when sharing their thoughts on the decision. They claim the deal with the new buyer met all the required criteria and should have been approved.

“Again, there's been no question about the buyer's credentials, the buyer's personality, the buyer's reputation. All of that is good to go from the perspective of the state,” Katz said. “So far as we can tell, it seems like the answer is (the state does) not like the order (allowing Sanborn to sell). Lawyers can be too quick to call proceedings Kafkaesque, but this one seems to me to fit the bill.”

While Sanborn’s lawyers have continually stated the proposed buyer was “spotless,” details on the deal have not been released.

Sanborn Alleges State Obstructing Sale

The lack of details surrounding the proposed deal and decision makes it hard to know which side to believe. According to Sanborn, the state is deliberately obstructing his ability to sell the Concord Casino. He claims the order to sell and the rejection of a good deal are punishments, giving him an impossible task that will lead to financial ruin.

The Attorney General’s office denied Sanborn’s allegations. While they are not allowed to share details about licensing discussions, they did deny any attempt to obstruct a deal. They insisted that the New Hampshire Lottery Commission had been working with the buyer and had specific reasons to reject the agreement.