Rota and Tinian have casinos, but they are not faring well.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Rota Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola said he had not seen the new casino bill so he could not make any comment on it.
“I want to see the package first,” he said, but added he supports anything that will help “the entire commonwealth.”
Mendiola said once the new casino bill is ready, he will ask lawmakers to conduct public hearings.
“If there’s anything that would benefit the entire CNMI who would go against it?” he asked.
The new proposal will allow three casino licenses on Saipan — one for the yet to be organized “Northern Marianas Descent Corp.” and two for foreign investors.
Besides paying a non-refundable casino license fee of $100,000 the indigenous people’s corporation only has to meet minimum conditions which include local employment, management training for locals, employee benefits and payment of all applicable fees and taxes.
A foreign investor must pay a $250,000 non-refundable license fee and invest no less than $100 million in a casino.
According to the bill, the casino revenues will go to local projects and programs that include infrastructure, recreation and sports facilities, educational facilities, public safety and law enforcement, a gambling anonymous program, scholarships, youth and elderly programs, medical referrals, persons with disabilities, healthcare insurance subsidy, transportation for persons with disabilities, home maintenance assistance, low-interest home loans, commercial loans and chartering of vessels for field trips to the Northern Islands.
The casino according to the draft bill, will help the government pay its outstanding obligations to the Retirement Fund.
Portions of the revenue will also be set aside to address the social impact and other effects of the casino industry to individuals. Some of the funds will be used for an earned income credit program for the local people.
Online casino
In a telephone interview, Rep. Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, said he is no longer involved in the new casino proposal and is now helping the Rota casino operation through online gaming.
The “online casino,” he explained, will allow gamblers to patronize the Rota or Tinian casinos through a video system.
Tenorio said he wants this scheme incorporated in the new bill.
The former governor authored the Saipan casino bill that was passed by the House but rejected by the Senate dominated by Rota and Tinian, last year.
