Casino commission chairwoman Laura Manglona, after a trip to Las Vegas with other commissioners, informed the casino management it cannot close without prior notice to the commission.
Toshiro Kishimoto, Rota Hotel manager, said it was only a “temporary closure” and it has nothing to do with the payroll issue.
He told Variety there were two groups of players from Japan that cancelled their trips to Rota after a massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.
“That was a big group and we lost them,” he said.
Kishimoto said they were also informed by Pacific Development Inc., a travel agency, about the cancellation of chartered flights from Japan to Rota.
“This is a very bad time,” he said. “We have no choice.”
A former hotel employee told Variety they have not received their salaries.
Kishimoto declined to comment about the workers’ unpaid salaries.
Variety learned that on Thursday, casino workers met with casino manager Travis Henley and, through teleconference, Masahito Watanabe, president of the Rota Treasure Island Casino, who was abroad.
Variety was told the Rota Hotel and the casino have yet to pay their Commonwealth Utilities Corp. bills.
CUC is scheduled to cut off the power supply to the hotel and casino today.
