Imperial Pacific granted two-year extension for CNMI casino project

9:34 am on 3 September 2018

The Northern Marianas Lottery Commission has granted Imperial Pacific International a more than two-year extension on its troubled Saipan casino project.

The 200 room hotel and casino Imperial Pacific Resort under construction in Saipan, CNMI

Photo: RNZ/Mark Rabago

The Hong-Kong based company's hotel-casino development in Garapan has been hampered by labour shortages.

The Lottery Commission has extended the deadline out 42 months, to February 2021, exceeding Imperial Pacific's request of a two-year extension.

Under the agreement signed with the Lottery Commission, the company will pay $US5,000 for every day of delay.

Imperial Pacific will also make a $US500,000 donation towards new medical equipment for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, which runs the only hospital in the Northern Marianas.

The commission is still debating whether to allow the company to operate completed portions of the hotel-casino and a separate resort and spa.

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