Tinian dynasty welcomes new casino investors

TINIAN—Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino chairman Michael Kwan welcomes the entry of a new group of casino investors, citing its significance to the development of the island economy.

“It’s good news! It’s good especially during a time of economic recession. Any investment is welcome to boost the economy,” said Kwan in an interview.

Kwan and two other TDHC executives including general manager Tom Liu, attended the public hearing conducted by the Tinian Casino and Gaming Control Commission Monday night on the licensing application of Bridge Investment Group.

BIG consists of five investors namely Rudy Pamintuan, Kenneth Wong, and Akshay Desai—who are all presidential appointees to the advisory on Asian American and Pacific Islands Committee—and established businessmen Erick Wang and Rocky Li.

Li and his brother Howard, who is the project developer of the group’s proposed 300-hotel room and casino resort here, are behind Waitex New York, a leading public warehousing and storage complex, an apparel import and wholesale, among others, with subsidiary companies in other countries including China and Hong Kong.

Kwan, meantime, hopes that with the group’s relocation, Tinian’s transportation system would improve.

TDHC mainly drives up the local economy with its operation of ferryboats and charter of flights from China to bring tourists to the island.

The ferry operation was severely hurt after one of the only two ferryboats ran aground in October this year.

For his part, Liu said that TDHC is upbeat about the business competition noting that it would be a “partner” to transform Tinian into a great destination.

“To develop a destination, you need a lot of hotels, you need a lot of partners, you need a lot of infrastructure. Just alone by ourselves, we can never develop into a major destination. That’s how it is. Like Phuket, Bali, all the islands in the Hawaiian chain, it’s all like that. It starts with one, then two, three, four. You need to have all the chain of hotels and infrastructure, then you can pick up as a major destination because everybody will market to their own customers, then all customers will come,” said Liu.

He said that even if both businesses go after the same market like China, it is good for the local economy.

The primary need of Tinian, he said, is direct international flights to and from key markets such as China, Japan, and Korea.

“The only way to make tourism industry work here is for tourists to continue coming. How can they come if there’s no flights? We’ve got to have direct flights,” said Liu.

He said TDHC is eagerly looking forward to seeing Tinian International Airport finally operates as designed.

Right now, all Tinian-bound passengers from four charter flights a week from Shanghai and Guanzhou land on Saipan.

Other Chinese passengers carried by other airlines such as Asiana also stops in Seoul before coming to Saipan, then Tinian.

“What we need are direct flights. That’s our goal,” said Liu.

Right now, only Freedom Air flies to Tinian and Saipan carrying both tourists and island residents from 7am to 6:20pm.

Taga Air, which launched its nightly flights between the two islands, recently has stopped temporarily due to minor agreement problems.

Taga Air is expected to be back in the air within the month.