CCC wants IPI to pay over $25M

The Commonwealth Casino Commission has asked the court to find Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC incompliant pursuant to a previous commission order, essentially requiring the casino investor to pay over $25 million—in full.

CCC, through assistant attorney general Keisha Blaise, recently filed a petition for enforcement of a Commonwealth Casino Commission Order 2021-002. Specifically, CCC wants the court to enter an order finding that IPI did not comply with the commission order, and that $25,252,570 is now due in full to the CCC, with interest.

Commission Order 2021-002 was issued after the Superior Court affirmed previous CCC consolidated orders dating back to 2020 suspending IPI’s exclusive casino license for failure to comply with a number of duties and responsibilities as stated in its license agreement.

The court affirmed CCC’s orders suspending IPI’s license back in March 15, 2022.

Commission Order 2021-0022 imposed a number of penalties on IPI due to its incompliance and ordered the following:

a. The suspension of IPI’s casino license to conduct gaming activities for a period of six months from the effective date of the order and penalties of $100,000 within one month of the effective date of the order;

b. Indefinite suspension of IP’s casino license to conduct gaming activities until IPI has paid the annual license fee of $15,502,570 in full and immediately upon the effective date of the order and penalties in the amount of $1.5 million within six months of the effective date of the order;

c. Indefinite suspension of IPI’s casino license to conduct gaming activities until IPI is in complete compliance with Commission Order 2020-003 and penalties in the amount $1,500,000 within six months of the effective date of the order;

d. Indefinite suspension of IPI’s casino license to conduct gaming activities until IPI is in complete compliance with Enforcement Action 2020-004 and penalties of $2,000,000 in total within six months of that order;

e. Finally, indefinite suspension to conduct gaming activities until IPI is in complete compliance with Enforcement Action 2020-005, immediate full payment of the casino regulatory fee of $3,150,000 and penalties of $1,500,000 in total within six months of that order.

To date, Blaise said, IPI has not filed a stay with either the Superior Court or the Supreme Court on Commission Order 2021-002 so the order is enforceable.

In addition, the lawyer said, IPI has failed to make any payments pursuant to Commission Order 2021-002.

“Due to IP’s failure to comply with Commission Order 2021-002, $25,252,570 is due in full,” she said.