Club C turns 1!

Club C at Kanoa Resort, dubbed as Saipan’s casino and entertainment paradise, turned a year old in June and is celebrating its year of success with a cocktail party tonight.

According to general manager Peter Stewein, it has been an interesting year “because not every month is the same. Every single month is different.”

Ari Huggins and Raynie headline the musical act at Club C. (Frauleine S. Villanueva)

Despite not putting out a lot of advertisements, the local market has been stable for Club C. “Everybody always wants to do better but overall, it has been successful,” he said.

Stewein said Club C was able to “provide something that’s different” on the island and it has been successful in this score. He noted that Club C has everything—from just sitting down with a drink and having something to eat to gaming and entertainment.

“Casinos around the world generally these days put an emphasis on entertainment. Walk in, sit down, get something to drink, something to eat, enjoy a little bit of music, little bit of game on the side. It’s a mix,” he said.

Even though Club C is primarily a gaming facility, Stewein emphasized that is not only for those who want to play electronic games or e-games but also for those just want to have a good time as well.

“It’s not ‘you must gamble.’ Enjoy yourself. If you like, you can [gamble], but you don’t have to,” Stewein said.

At Club C, everyone is welcome. Stewein said it doesn’t matter if you dress up or not; it is open to different kinds of clients and is a safe place for a good time.

And with a new year starting for Club C, it comes with yet another set of challenges. Despite this, projections are positive for the establishment.

“We got some competitions coming. …Hotels are opening; more tourists are coming, more business. In the long run, if that all keeps on expanding…it’s good for everyone, including us. …Over the longer period of time, I believe we’ll be a successful company,” he said.

Besides, a little competition is good for the business too.

“It keeps you on your toes,” Stewein said.

Entertainment paradise

In keeping with its promise to provide world-class entertainment, Club C has been bringing in performers from overseas as well as staging local artists.

One of the newest performers they have is Ari Huggins, who has been in the entertainment business for 20 years and has performed in Los Angeles, Japan, Germany, Denmark, England, and Russia.

“My parents were Caribbean so I know island tropical life already. It’s a good combination: state, Western, and you know, tropical,” Huggins said.

Huggins is an overall performer and sings classics, R&B, reggae, and even some Japanese songs and his original songs.

“I do Elvis or Neyo or Stevie Wonder or John Legend, Bob Marley. I do a variety,” Huggins said.

Another performer is Raynie who has been with Club C when it opened a year ago. She hails from Taiwan but has also performed in various places including Macau. She has been in the entertainment scene for a decade.

“I was singing in Macau and I think the boss went to the lounge bar where I was singing,” Raynie said.

Despite their origins, Raynie and Huggins are proven flexible performers, well-versed not only in popular songs but also songs in various languages.

“Singing in different languages for me is not that hard,” Raynie said.