IPI says it has 650 construction workers

Imperial Pacific International Limited (CNMI) reports it currently has 650 construction workers working on its resort hotel in Garapan.

IPI assistant vice president of construction Eric Poon reported to the Commonwealth Casino Commission last Thursday that IPI continues to interview workers from Taiwan, Thailand, Mongolia, and other countries.

Poon reported that 494 of the workers have H-2B visas and these workers are from Mongolia, Thailand, Australia, Croatia, Italy, or Taiwan. Poon told the CCC that work to bring in a second batch of Mongolian H-2B workers is in progress but there is no definite count on how many of these workers will finally come here. And they are hoping to have these workers in by October.

Reporting on the current status of the Imperial Pacific Resort hotel, Poon said the hotel’s main lobby and east wing VIP gaming rooms’ interior fit out works have been completed. The hotel’s east wing suites and corridors have built-in furniture and mirrors installed, while marble stone and carpet installations are nearly complete.

The hotel’s guest and service elevators have been completed and are scheduled for a final inspection and certification. Lastly, the hotel’s northern wing’s fit out work is in progress and is projected to be complete by the end of December. IPI forecasts the resort hotel to be completed by the end of this year.

Poon said that IPI’s next construction phase is its Tower Hotel, which is currently in progress and is forecasted to be completed by the end of June 2020. He said that the building’s façade cladding is in progress and that the hotel tower’s interior fit out pre-construction phase is in progress.

For external works, Poon reports that the north forecourt landscape builder’s work is complete. The main water feature installation is also complete, while the secondary water feature installation is in progress. Lastly, earth work for the resort hotel’s main swimming pool is still in progress.

Poon said the hotel’s east wing has also undergone separate inspections from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the Department of Public Works and are waiting for conditional permits.

When asked about the villas to be built on Capital Hill, Poon told the CCC that their goal is to get the conditional permits for the hotel and he will discuss with IPI chair Mark Brown and the management team about the construction and staffing of the villas.