Charitable gaming, casino coming to Conway plaza
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CONWAY — Rumors about a gaming operation coming to Conway at the former Shurfine store near the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet have become more than just that.
The town of Conway issued a new building permit to A.W. Rose Construction of Manchester on Jan. 9 of this year to “renovate the former grocery store and adjoining suite into (a) sports pub with charitable gaming.”
In a further development, the Sun has learned that the entire Shurfine Plaza was purchased Nov. 22, 2022, for an estimated $5 million by Manchester developer Dick Anagnost, 66, who as the Sun previously reported had in 2019 obtained a license for the gaming operation at the former Shurfine store and adjoining suite from the State Lotto Commission.
According to the deed, Anganost — who signed the deed — is the manager of A.W. Rose Realty, LLC of 1662 Elm St. in Manchester. His company that was granted warranty covenants in the deed was listed as Conway Poker Room and Casino, LLC, a New Hampshire limited liability company, also of 1662 Elm St. in Manchester.
The sellers of the former Shurfine Plaza were listed as John and Toula Antzoulis of Glen Head, N.Y.
Anagnost in June 2021 told the Sun he planned to operate a Greek restaurant, featuring a sports bar and limited charitable gaming at the former 12,000-square-foot location.
No mention of a Greek restaurant was made in the current building permit application, however, so it is not clear if that remains part of the proposal.
Anagnost’s spokesman, former WMUR-TV 9 broadcaster Tiffany Eddy of Manchester, told the Sun on Wednesday that the proposal does include a restaurant but she is not sure whether it will be a Greek restaurant or not.
The town had earlier issued a building permit for a Greek restaurant on March 26, 2021.
The new construction permit application was signed by Rose project manager Robert Breault.
Calls placed to Breault and A.W. Rose principal Arthur Rose were not returned as of press time.
Maura McAnn, marketing director for the State Lottery Commission, said the contact for the gaming operation is Ernie D’Ambrosio of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, which on the web is listed as a casino gaming company based in Los Angeles. A call placed to D’Ambrosio was not returned as of press time.
John Eastman, Conway town manager, told the Sun that he has been in contact over the past week with John Conforti, chief compliance officer for the New Hampshire Lottery Commission, and that Conforti said Anagnost and company had applied for all appropriate approvals.
Eastman said he has invited Conforti to come and speak with selectmen at their Feb. 21 meeting at 4 p.m. at Conway Town Hall to answer board questions and any that may come from the public.
Eastman said Conforti explained that while voters need by state law to approve either sports betting or keno, which has been defeated by Conway voters at annual town meeting four times, including last year, this proposal is for charitable gaming, which falls under the state’s rules for what Eastman said are “games of chance.”
“There is a difference,” Eastman told the Sun.
Eastman confirmed that there will be a petitioned special article once again this year to allow for keno in the town of Conway. It currently is played at taverns in neighboring Albany.
He said Conforti said that charitable gaming has been around since the late 1940s.
There are regulations concerning the number of slot machines per the number of gaming tables.
“The business can only open if it has a charitable organization each night that is vetted by the state Attorney General’s office as a nonprofit 501 (3)-c,” said Eastman. “The plan would be to be open three to four nights a week and each night ot have a charitable operation they are gaming for.”
He said the breakdown for revenue under the state’s regulations are 55 percent for the house, 345 percent for charitable organizations and 10 percent to the state of New Hampshire.
Eastman said the town and selectmen have not taken a stand pro or con for the latest operation. He said former selectman/current planning board member Mark Hounsell spoke out against gaming during public comment at Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting, and argued that the town of Conway ought to get more of the state’s share.
Eddy told the Sun that Anagnost’s four existing gaming operations in Keene, Manchester, Dover and Lebanon raised $3,876,284 for New Hampshire-based non-profits in 2022.
She said she visited Conway in January of last year and met with local non-profts. She encouraged any non-profits interested in working with the new operation to contact her by emailing tiffany@tiffanyeddy.com.
She said she was not sure when the new operation is scheduled to open.
