New RFPs for Marpi property

The government will solicit separate proposals for the management of the different Marpi properties that were formerly being leased by the Kitami family-owned Kan Pacific Saipan Ltd.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said the Department of Public Lands is working on separate requests for proposals, or RFP, for the Mariana Resort Hotel & Spa, Marianas Country Club golf course, and the Olympic-size pool.

The re-announcement of the bid for the management of the properties came about after DPL and the original bidder, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC, failed to agree on some legal issues, Torres said after yesterday’s proclamation signing for Field of Heroes Recognition Week at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center.

He said both DPL and IPI tried to come up with an agreement but “unfortunately, that agreement was not met, so the approach is to make another RFP. In the meantime, I believe that Mariana Resort has a security maintenance agreement so they can continue to maintain the property.”

Torres said the bidding process is open to all interested companies, even to IPI. “Everybody is open to bid. No company is excluded from the bid. The last time [IPI] was the only company that submitted a bid.”

“Unfortunately, like I said, there were legal matters that they [DPL and IPI] were not able to come to an agreement. So they [DPL] separated the parts of the facility.”

When the Kan Pacific lease on the over 55,000-square meter property was about to expire this year, DPL offered up the property for bidding and IPI submitted the lone bid. Kan Pacific did not submit a bid and was only given an extension that ended on Sept. 30

Maintenance crew and other hotel staff were given a week to remove and pack all equipment and furniture owned by Kan Pacific outside the facility, and on Oct. 7 power and water supply was finally cut. Employees who were living at the staff housing were also asked to move out.

Torres assured that the facilities would be opened again and won’t turn into another abandoned La Fiesta Mall. “Absolutely not. We will not allow it to turn into another La Fiesta. We will not allow it to be anything close to La Fiesta.”

Torres also reminded that the pool is still closed to the public. “The pool is not open to the community at this point because of liability purposes. We’re separating the RFP.”

“The original RFP was for all—golf course, hotel, and swimming pool. Unfortunately there were legal matters and IPI was not able to consummate an agreement. So, they are separating all of the three aspects of the Mariana Resort.”

He said his administration would work with the winning bidder in making sure operations of the facilities would continue.

“They will be separating the pool, golf course, and hotel. Because hotel costs a lot of money and at this point it is just a losing proposition to maintain a hotel without any booking…We want to make sure that we work with whoever wins the bid. To make sure that the property and facility will be well maintained and operated,” added Torres.