Concord approves large-scale casino gambling site, as proposed by bar owner

After years of planning, and months of review by city officials, Concord this week gave approval to former state Sen. Andy Sanborn’s plan to build a large-scale casino on the eastern edge of the city.

Sanborn, who already owns and operates a bar and adjacent casino in downtown Concord, said the new facility, tentatively named the Imagine Casino, would have table games, a poker room, slot machines, as well as entertainment options.

“We’re going to have at least one restaurant. We are going to have space for live music if we can,” Sanborn said in an interview Friday. “We are trying to find out how to stick a brewery and brew beer, and maybe distill inside.”

The facility will be located at the end of Loudon Road and near the intersection of Rt. 106 and Interstate 393.

Sanborn, a Republican who served in the state Senate and unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2018, owns The Draft Sports Bar and Concord Casino on Main Street. He said he is likely to keep that casino in operation.

Under a model unique to New Hampshire, charitable gaming facilities must award 35% of gaming proceeds to non-profit organizations. Maximum wagers, as well as hours of operation, are regulated by state lawmakers. In , the legalization of historic horse racing machines, which function differently than traditional slot machines but give users the same experience, have led to the rapid expansion of some facilities.

Concord has yet to approve sports wagering, but Sanborn noted the casino is being designed with a tentative space for sports betting windows, should local voters give the green light.

Sanborn said the Imagine Casino could ultimately host a hotel and larger entertainment venue, as part of a second phase of development.

“This is a place where people can come up for the weekend, spend a couple of nights, get a good meal, see a live show, do some gaming,” he said. “Or people can get married there.”