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Tinian Dynasty says it paid all fees
Bishop: The rest of requirements now in the works
It’s been a week since Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino’s aborted reopening of its casino floor, but its general manager, Christopher Bishop, maintains that the company has paid all fees and is in the process of fulfilling all requirements set by the Tinian Casino Gaming and Control Commission.
He also said that Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission executive director Lucy Blanco-Maratita doesn’t want to take responsibility for the casino’s failed opening, which is why she told reporters that Tinian Dynasty was non-compliant with the conditions set by the regulator.
“…because she does not want to be blamed, but all those things are in the works or paid already,” Bishop told Saipan Tribune in a message via social media.
Blanco-Maratita reiterated that Tinian Dynasty’s owner, Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investments, Ltd., has not paid all the required fees and pertinent requirements set forth by the TCGCC as conditions for the reopening of the casino floor.
“…the fees for the tables and slots have been paid. They paid the partial $250,000 for the annual casino license fee. The balance ($250,000), and any penalties due for late payment, must be paid by Dec. 31, 2015. They also paid the tax for August 2015,” she told Saipan Tribune in a phone interview last Thursday.
Blanco-Maratita refused to comment on Bishop’s statement, saying she is merely stating the facts about Tinian Dynasty’s failure to abide with the conditions set by TCGCC for the reopening of the casino.
“I am not placing any blame on the Tinian Dynasty. I am merely stating that as of today, I have not received a signed contract confirming that Spectrum Gaming is onboard and confirming that Spectrum will be arriving on Tinian before the reopening. I know that they have been in negotiations and close to completing what needs to be done to get Spectrum back on Tinian. Once that is completed, then I anticipate that the Dynasty will request for another reopening date.”
Blanco-Maratita said the fees for the gaming tables and slot machines amount to nearly $60,000.
She told Saipan Tribune earlier that the company’s casino operations reopening were contingent on several wage, fee, and contract-related conditions.
Blanco-Maratita conceded, though, that back wages of former employees are now in the realm of the bankruptcy court since Tinian Dynasty has already filed for Chapter 11.
