A GROUP of Japanese investors is proposing to establish a $9.9 million “floating” hotel and casino on Tinian, according to the chairman of the island’s legislative delegation.
“This is a good project. It will diversify the economy,” Senate Floor Leader Joaquin G. Adriano, D-Tinian, said.
But former Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio, who represents the Japanese investors, said the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission opposes the project.
“Their opposition is unofficial, that’s why we want to have their official position in black and white,” Tenorio said.
The investors want to convert a cruise ship into a stationary casino.
The ship is a seven-story and 13,789-ton vessel. It will be berthed off the coast of Tinian in front of the island’s new power plant.
But TCGCC Executive Director Esther Barr said the floating hotel and casino “is not allowed by law.”
“According to our legal counsel (Elliott Sattler), the concept is not allowed by law,” Barr told the Variety yesterday.
The commission has to approve the floating casino’s license application.
The Tinian municipal government will stand to receive 13 percent of the annual casino tax to be derived from the floating casino’s operations, Tenorio said.
Five percent of the annual sales of the gross revenue tax will go to the commonwealth general fund.
Tenorio said he met with TCGCC five months ago to discuss the proposal, but he was “bluntly discouraged.”
“When they told me that unofficially they won’t allow it, that was the end of our meeting. But they never confirmed that in writing up to this time,” Tenorio said.
The floating casino and hotel will have state-of-the art facilities, he added.
It will have 174 guest rooms with sleeping accommodations for 578 persons, a 290-seating capacity restaurant, a 49-seater sky lounge with dancing floor and a 31-seat bar.
Tinian is the only CNMI island that has legalized casino gambling.
It was during Tenorio’s administration (1994-1998) that Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino was constructed.
