Casino opens

Without much fanfare, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC officially moved its casino operation to the unfinished Imperial Pacific Resort across the street, while closing down its temporary training site inside the T Galleria.

Although there was no official opening ceremony, a large number of tourists showed up at the new casino site, resulting in increased foot traffic within the vicinity and creating more business for businesses in the area.

With the increased foot traffic, the corner along Beach Road heading to the casino seemed to bottleneck the entrance, causing vehicular traffic on Beach Road.

The former Best Sunshine LIVE casino training site inside T Galleria is now closed.

Once inside the Imperial Resort premises, upturned red lights lit up the façade of the building, creating a dramatic silhouette that welcomes visitors. According to the Chinese, the color red is a symbol of luck.

There was no immediate word from Imperial Pacific why no opening ceremony was held yesterday but, according to IPI officials, a formal ceremony will be held later.

At the entrance to the casino, a staircase is on the right, while a flat screen monitor displays scenic destinations on Saipan. Overhead, a part of a three-piece chandelier looks down on guests. The surface of the spherical chandelier, like the giant monitor, displays the CNMI’s ocean. The chandelier, though incomplete, is expected to be finished two months from now, specifically this September.

While most of the casino-goers were Chinese nationals, the casino dealers, waiters, and casino supervisors looked as busy as ever. While most tables weren’t fully functional, specifically those located at the back portion of the casino, the tables that welcome guests into the casino were the most populated compared to the ones in the back. Upon entry, sic bo tables in front were flanked by slot machines. Further right, behind the slot machines, are the VIP rooms. Across the room are other VIP rooms. The most popular tables were the blackjack tables, the roulette tables, and the sic bo tables.

The Best Sunshine Live uniforms were nowhere in sight. All of the casino staff—waiters, dealers, pit supervisors, and even security personnel—had new uniforms. Dealers had the logo of IPI patterned on their polo shirts, while pit supervisors sported light yellow vests with a white long-sleeved polo underneath.

The sound of chips, accompanied by the constant bellowing of winning and losing players, made for a very busy environment. While only a handful of locals were in the casino, Chinese tourists were busy gambling and taking pictures.