Macau casino experts to show how to do it right

At Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s request on Saturday, a group of Macau investors and consultants will be making a presentation for CNMI lawmakers on how to build a profitable casino industry, should a pending Saipan casino gambling legalization bill becomes law.

House Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) informed House members yesterday about the casino experts’ presentation in the governor’s conference room at 9am on Monday.

The governor is concerned about a pending local bill’s provision allowing for a $575 million exclusive casino license fee on Saipan, said press secretary Angel Demapan.

Demapan said the governor wants lawmakers, especially members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative delegation, to hear from casino experts before the delegation votes on the pending Saipan casino bill.

He said a $575 million exclusive casino license, for example, will limit the ability of the casino industry to grow.

“We would like to have a casino industry on Saipan…in order for us to infuse much needed economic activity for government employees to return to normal working hours and restore the income brackets back to our people,” he added.

Demapan said the Macau investors and consulting group was responsible for bringing successful casino investors to Macau, a world-class casino gambling mecca, and other parts of the world.

He said the governor saw the group’s presentation in Guam on Saturday, and he asked the group whether they could make a similar presentation for lawmakers.

“And the governor believes that this particular group of consultants has a very good presentation that he saw [in Guam on Saturday] and he would like the members of the Legislature to see this presentation, to see how they can refine the existing local bill to ensure that the end-result of that bill, should it become law, is the establishment of a profitable casino industry,” Demapan added.

He said the casino experts will be paying for their own airfare to come to Saipan for the presentation. He said he’s not aware of any consultant agreement or contract with the group.

Rep. Stanley Torres (Ind-Saipan), author of a pending bill seeking to legalize casino gambling on Saipan, said he looks forward to the casino experts’ presentation.

The administration said the Senate has also been informed about the presentation. The Senate has been opposed to the local casino legalization bill, saying the matter should be placed before voters instead.