New investor eyes 2nd Tinian casino

Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz said yesterday that Tinian should expect a new $200-million casino resort investment, this time from Macau-based Alter City Group.

The Tinian mayor said Alter City has offered to take over a public land lease at Nasarino Beach that was previously leased by Marianas Resort Development Corp. MRDC had planned to build a $300-million Matua Bay Casino Resort on the property, plus an 18-hole championship golf course.

Now, Alter City plans to build on the same property a 300-room hotel casino with an 18-hole golf course and a variety of entertainment options, Dela Cruz said.

“We are happy about this latest development on Tinian. We are all for economic development,” Dela Cruz told Saipan Tribune in a phone interview. He said he met with representatives of Alter City last week.

Dela Cruz also mentioned this in the latest monthly Tinian publication called Gasetan TaoTao Tinian. He also cited Mega Stars Overseas Ltd.’s development plans for Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino.

“Despite recent developments on Saipan, Mega Stars has made the commitment to move forward with their expansion plans, including a major development on Kastiyu Plateau,” the mayor said.

Dela Cruz said having two competing hotel-casino-golf course complexes on Tinian is “in the best interest” of Tinian’s gaming industry. Alter City still has to apply for a casino license.

Saipan is on its way to developing an integrated casino resort worth at least $2 billion. The Lottery Commission is negotiating with investor Best Sunshine International Ltd. for a casino development agreement, for the eventual grant of an exclusive Saipan casino license.

Best Sunshine won over Marianas Stars Entertainment Ltd., partly owned by Mega Stars that now owns Tinian Dynasty.

Military exercise

The Tinian mayor also said in his message to the community that the Okinawa-based U.S. Air Marine Group 12 will be returning to Tinian for another two-month exercise beginning in August.

“This time, their main focus will be clearing the ‘other’ West Field runway, the one ‘inside the fence,’” he said.

The mayor added that the Marines are enthusiastic about working with the community, buying locally and providing an avenue for cattlemen to carry water through the West Field area during their exercise. He asked for the community’s patience “because this traditional roadway will be in much better condition as a result of their efforts.”

Two-thirds of Tinian lands are leased to the U.S. Department of Defense.