The unfinished Imperial Pacific International hotel-casino in Garapan.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
THE unfinished Imperial Pacific International casino and 14-story hotel building in Garapan do not pose an immediate danger to surrounding neighbors, but continued neglect may lead to dilapidation and corrosion that “may compromise the structural integrity of the building.”
Department of Public Works building safety inspectors assessed the condition of the casino and hotel tower on April 21, 2025. They inspected the casino’s main lobby, the basements of both the casino and the hotel tower, and the beachfront villas.
According to DPW records, IPI’s conditional certificate of occupancy expired in 2021 — one year after construction of the hotel building stopped in 2020, following the closure of the casino due to a lack of tourists brought on by Covid-19-related travel restrictions.
The building permit, according to DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul, automatically expired after the casino’s closure.
In his report to the DPW secretary, Building Inspector Supervisor Ignacio C. Santos stated that the current condition of the IPI structure, despite the natural disasters it has endured over the years, “does not pose an immediate danger to surrounding neighbors or to the general public.”
However, Santos added, “If IPI continues to neglect maintenance of the finished areas, and construction on the main structure remains dormant, it will only accelerate the building’s dilapidation and corrosion, which may compromise its structural integrity in the future.”
Regarding the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system and the fire alarm system, Santos said it is difficult to assess their condition due to the lack of power. He also noted that these systems have not been used “for some time now.”
As for the unfinished hotel tower facing Beach Road, Santos observed some spalling (surface cracking or flaking) on the concrete walls. While not widespread, he said, “it may be of some concern.”
