New Hampshire Lottery Commission Postpones Decision on Disputed Casino License for Concord
A postponement of a hearing about the future of the Concord Casino's license was announced by New Hampshire authorities, pushing it back by 10 days.
The New Hampshire Lottery Commission had initially slated the hearing for Tuesday, but it will now take place on October 13, as confirmed by the New Hampshire Bulletin.
The casino's license, previously bestowed upon Andy Sanborn, a former state senator, is under review following an investigation carried out by state Attorney General John M. Formella. The potential outcome of the inquiry is the revocation of the license, according to Formella, as Sanborn is considered unfit to be linked to charitable gaming in New Hampshire.
The license holder, Andy Sanborn, has submitted an appeal to preserve his charitable casino license.
Investigations from state authorities stated Sanborn had inappropriately secured $844K in federal coronavirus relief funds. As a casino owner, he was ineligible to receive the money, according to them.
Some of the allocated federal funds were used to make payments for three race cars for personal use and to cover future rent expenses, authorities revealed. One of the cars, a Ferrari, was bestowed upon his wife, Laurie Sanborn, a state representative, both being residents of Bedford, NH, and both being registered Republicans. New Hampshire's U.S. Attorney Jane Young is also scrutinizing the COVID relief application and contested expenditures.
There are also concerns about the proceeds from the Concord Casino directed towards nonprofits.
Recently, New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) covered a long-standing belief in the state: charitable casinos must pass on 35% of their payouts to recognized New Hampshire nonprofits. However, Concord Casino only transfers 17.5% of its earnings, according to NHPR’s inquiry.
Additionally, the Lottery Commission had cautioned Andy Sanborn for failing to turn in monthly charity financial reports and for mistakenly listing the wrong charity while appointing casino proceeds, the Bulletin reported.
Sanborn's Rebuttal
In regard to the injurious charges made by the state, Sanborn stated, "Much like many other enterprises and organizations, we sought federal relief to cope with the functional jeopardies predominantly posed by the COVID-19 pandemic."
We unleashed considerable precautions to verify we were meeting every prerequisite and standard. Despite my staunch disagreement with the [Lottery] Commission's remarks, I welcome the impending inquiry, as I am convinced that our actions were completely transparent and in unison with the law."
Laurie Sanborn, Sanborn's wife and a state representative, relinquished her position as chair of a state panel on charitable casinos due to the commotion.
The Concord Casino is nestled within The Draft Sports Bar and Grill in Concord, and Sanborn plans to open a second, 43,000-square-foot charitable casino in the same city. The second location, however, is currently tangled up in a legal dispute. The City's Planning Board permitted the property in June.
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Source: www.casino.org
