Published on: November 12, 2024, 03:39h.
Last updated on: November 12, 2024, 03:39h.
The scheduled sale of Concord Casino is facing obstacles with the current owner’s legal team pointing fingers at New Hampshire state officials.
The owner of the casino, Andy Sanborn, was instructed to find a buyer for the charitable gaming property following the suspension of his casino license.
The potential buyer of the casino has not been publicly disclosed. However, this individual has participated in the pre-sale discussions.
Sanborn Looks to Sell
Sanborn is keen to sell the property, and there is a prospective buyer interested, as per Sanborn’s legal counsel.
“There is no criticism of the buyer’s background,” Attorney Adam Katz, representing Sanborn, was quoted by New Hampshire Public Radio. “There is no criticism of the buyer’s credentials. There is not one blemish on the buyer’s record that the suitability letter cites. The buyer is spotless from the state’s perspective.”
He [Sanborn] wants to put this mess far in the rearview mirror,” Katz added. “Mr. Sanborn clearly has worked to sell. The only problem is the chicanery from the state.”
State Not Impeding Sale
However, New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Jessica King disagrees.
“There is no evidence the state is actually trying to prevent anything,” she said. “This narrative that the state is trying to obstruct and prevent the sale is simply false.”
She explained that the New Hampshire Lottery Commission had numerous meetings with the buyer, as reported by the New Hampshire Journal. The new owner must receive state approval.
“It [the commission] has had constant communication with the buyer. It has gone out of its way to ensure that the buyer had all of the things necessary to complete a suitability determination, and thereafter has continued to talk to the buyer,” she added.
The issues were discussed at a hearing on Friday before Hearing Officer Gregory Albert. As the two parties continue to dispute, Sanborn has been granted extensions to finalize the sale of the casino.
Last year, Administrative Hearing Officer Michael King instructed Sanborn to sell the casino within six months.
In October, Sanborn was charged with state theft offenses for allegedly inflating his revenue to qualify for state COVID funds, obtaining around $140K more than entitled.
State officials also probed into how Sanborn, a former state senator, utilized $844K in COVID relief funds designated for the Concord Casino.
He reportedly used some of the funds to purchase two Porsche cars and a Ferrari. The Ferrari was for his wife, Laurie Sanborn, a state representative, authorities revealed. The relief fund was not intended for casino use, officials argue.