By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Variety

CASINOS, once allowed on Saipan, will help promote those on Tinian, according to advocates who conducted a signature drive in Susupe on Saturday for the legalization of casino gaming here.
Sen. Luis P. Crisostimo, D-Saipan, was among those who signed the petition for the Saipan casino initiative.
He said he did it for the local people of the CNMI who will be the “owners” of the proposed casino on Saipan.
Despite the rain, hundreds of people came forward to sign the petition at the Civic Center basketball court starting at around 11 a.m.
Within two hours 175 had signed the petition which requires the signatures of at least 20 percent of the total number of Saipan’s registered voters.
If placed on the ballot, the initiative has to be approved by at least two-third of the voters before it can be ratified.
In the 2005 gubernatorial election, 11,163 cast their ballots on Saipan.
Twenty percent of this number is 2,233, and two-thirds is 7,446.
Speaking in behalf of his colleagues in the CNMI Indigenous Entrepreneurs Inc., former Speaker Pedro R. Guerrero said it’s a “misconception” that casinos on Saipan will adversely effect Tinian which has the only casino facility in the CNMI.
“It is actually the other way around,” he said, adding that since the Tinian casino doesn’t have “enough exposure,” Saipan will promote it. (See story on page 4).
He said because of its large number of hotels and entertainment establishments, Saipan, will become the “gateway” to Tinian’s casino.
“There are people who have yet to discover the casino on Tinian,” Guerrero said, and it is only during visits to Saipan that they usually have the opportunity to find out what the neighboring island has to offer.
“So we have no intention of hurting Tinian. Instead, putting up casinos here on Saipan is a way to help the people of Tinian,” he said.
Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino opened for business in 1998 and three other companies have expressed an intention to put up casinos there.
Guerrero said the Saipan casino initiative will provide more economic opportunity to the people of the CNMI than the existing casino on Tinian offers.
He said the casino on Saipan will be owned by locals, and the money to be generated will stay here to further enhance local economic activity, “so everyone will benefit. “
According to the initiative, the Saipan gaming commission will issue the casino license to the Northern Marianas Descent Investment Corp. which “shall be a profit corporation whose incorporators, directors, officers and shareholders shall be persons of NMI descent.”