Airport project seen to spur business activities on Tinian

The casino gaming industry on Tinian is expected to move at a higher gear soon after the Commonwealth Ports Authority completes the construction of the island’s new air transport facility, which is expected to begin in the next few months.

The multi-million-dollar airport improvement project collected dust for several years due to financial constraints, despite persistent prodding from island officials to begin and fast-track the construction of the facility.

While only bidding for the project have been opened by CPA so far, Tinian Mayor Francisco Borja said the development is already translated into concrete step that brings hope to both the island’s business community and residents.

“It has been a long wait but at least Tinian has a bright economic future to look forward to now that the [bidding] process has begun,” Mr. Borja told CPA Board Chair Roman S. Palacios in a letter.

The mayor is upbeat on the project’s ripple effect on the island’s drowsy economy, considering that the construction would create hundreds of job opportunities which means new temporary tenants on Tinian.

Mr. Borja believes the West Tinian International Airport rehabilitation project would pave the road for the circulation of fresh money, translated into several hundred thousand dollars, into the island’s economy.

The airport improvement project can be translated into an increase in economic and business activities on Tinian due to the anticipated influx of new construction workers on the island.

The additional manpower, which the airport rehabilitation project is expected to entail, would mean bigger returns of investments for businesses on the island that provide housing facilities and other basic necessities like food and clothing.

At the same time, there may also be an increase in income for hardware stores on the island since the project would need construction materials that may be sourced from local providers or suppliers.

Mr. Borja is confident that local companies will directly benefit from the influx of fresh money due to the anticipated construction of the West Tinian International Airport.

At least 24 companies have so far expressed intentions to undertake the multi-million-dollar Tinian airport project when CPA conducted a pre-bidding conference on the island late last month.

Bids for the project, which will be opened on June 2, 2000, should have at least a five percent bond of the base bid price as required by regulations of the Federal Aviation Administrations.

Two separate invitations will be solicited for the project, one is for the construction of a 7,800 linear-foot asphalt concrete runway and the other will be for an 8,600 linear-foot runway.

Bids will initially be evaluated to determine if proposed project cost for the Alternative Bid are within the available funds earmarked for the West Tinian International Airport improvement project.

If all alternative bids submitted exceed the total funding available, CPA will then reject all submissions and evaluate the proposal for the Basic Bid.

Some $17 million in total funds have been made available for the West Tinian International Airport improvement project, almost half of which were sourced out of the Federal Aviation Administration grants.

Total project cost has been initially estimated to reach at least $20 million.