DOVER — Dover Bowl, a Garrison City landmark, will permanently shut down this spring to allow for the expansion and renaming of Filotimo Casino and Restaurant, ending a run that spanned generations of bowlers.

New Hampshire Group, owner of the existing Filotimo Casino and Restaurant at the Central Avenue site, is expanding the casino into Dover Bowl, shutting down the lanes and renaming the business Revo Casino and Social House.

The last of the Dover Bowl lanes will be closed on April 29, according to New Hampshire Group.

Renovations are already underway. Some bowling lanes were being removed Wednesday and the arcade games had already been removed.

“The renovations will allow for expanded gaming space,” reads a statement from spokesperson Tiffany Eddy on behalf of the New Hampshire Group. “As a charitable gaming facility our mission is to help area charities raise funds. This expansion will allow our charitable partners to increase their revenue while additionally, providing our guests with a new dining concept, live entertainment space and radio broadcast studio with more information coming soon. We anticipate that the renovations will be completed this summer. “

Dover mayor laments loss of ‘good, clean fun’

Dover Bowl has operated for decades, serving as a host for local bowling leagues, a popular children’s birthday party location and a date night spot.

Mayor Bob Carrier noted that the casino does donate money to charity, but a substantial amount is kept as profit. (New Hampshire law requires all casinos give 35% to charity.)

“The thing I’ll say is, where are we headed? You shut that down, there’s no more bowling, and that pretty much eliminates those activities for young kids,” he said. “It’s sad, it really is.

“I’m sorry to see something like that closed, because it’s good, clean fun,” he added about Dover Bowl. “Good, family, recreational fun.”

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Bowling enthusiasts will need to travel out of Dover to spend a night at the lanes.

Over the Spaulding Turnpike are two Portsmouth bowling alleys: Bowl-O-Rama Family Fun Center and PiNZ, both of which are located on Lafayette Road. There are also bowling lanes inside of Shooters Pub in Exeter.

New Hampshire Group’s parent company is Peninsula Pacific Group, which also owns Dover Bowl.

Before Dover Bowl closes at the end of April, New Hampshire Group plans to hold special events and promotions at the bowling alley.

DraftKings Sportsbook opened at Filotimo in Dover in 2021, one of the only retail sportsbook locations in New Hampshire at this time.

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“Over the years, our facility has grown in ways to accommodate what our guests have been asking for. Our mission is to help and support our charities and this expansion is the best way to make a positive impact for our local charity partners,” New Hampshire Group’s statement adds about the casino expansion.

New Hampshire Group noted that last year, it donated over $9 million to 300 charities across the Granite State. The company also owns casinos in Keene, Lebanon and Manchester.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover Bowl to close; casino and sportsbook to expand