IPI to seek permit to operate less than 5-star Marpi resort

Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC is asking the CNMI Lottery Commission to allow it to operate a less than five-star hotel when it takes over the operation of the Mariana Resort & Spa in Marpi.

IPI was the lone company that submitted a bid to the Department of Public Lands to take over the Mariana Resort & Spa and other properties in the area that were leased by Kan Pacific.

IPI’s request for a waiver in operating the Kan Pacific property is one of the subjects that was included in IPI’s 191-page amendment No. 6 request that they submitted to the CNMI Lottery Commission, which is going to meet today to discuss the extension request.

The Marpi properties leased by Kan Pacific is the possible site of IPI’s Phase I and Phase II hotel projects. Kan Pacific’s lease expired this year and they were given a few months extension by DPL.

DPL had already issued a notice of intent to award the lands leased by Kan Pacific. The agency has been negotiating with IPI since the deadline of the submission of bids, with the casino operator the lone bidder for the properties.

DPL issued the notice of intent to award to IPI on July 15, 2016, pursuant to RFP15-RED006 for the public lands in Marpi where the Mariana Resort & Spa is located.

DPL has not yet awarded the land and, once all issues are settled, the Legislature will be the one who will sign the lease agreement—as required by law—since the property is more than 50,000 square meters.

DPL Secretary Marianne Teregeyo told SaipanTribune last month that they have yet to forward any document to the Legislature since they are still working with IPI on some of the issues that they have concerns with.

DPL, according to IPI’s amendment request, said that IPI must continue operating the Mariana Resort until their hotel projects are completed on the same site. IPI, however, based on the casino license agreement, must only operate five-star quality hotels.

That’s why IPI is requesting the Lottery Commission to waive the requirement so they can continue operating Mariana Resort once they take over the property in order to address DPL’s concerns.

IPI is also requesting for an extension on the completion date of the Garapan initial gaming facility, Imperial Pacific Resort. The original deadline, based on amendment No. 6, is supposed to be this Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, and they are asking for a two-year extension that is expected to finish in 2020 of the same date.

They attached documents and enumerated the reasons, history of events that transpired, and why the project was delayed, hence request for extension.

They are also asking CLC to allow them to operate the completed portions of their development project in Garapan such as the food and beverage outlets, and gaming area once all the facilities have been done and all necessary licenses and permits are obtained from regulatory and permitting agencies.