I told them it may not do any good but given that I already knew what can work I will go ahead and share it because we reach many solutions by compromising, caring and sharing. In the business world it is known as creating partnerships, showing respect for the stakeholders (community) and sharing in the profits. The new economic strategy for the investors should be a “Team Approach” as single investors are very limited in carrying the necessary load to generate the tourist numbers and attractions necessary for the CNMI to reach a prosperous level of economic activity. The Team Approach has been successful in many U. S. cities and was used successfully in creating our Tourist Industry in the formative years of the CNMI but now it is everyone for them-self in the CNMI and it is not working.
The CNMI is definitely at the crossroads in determining the direction we must take for our future economic salvation and prosperity. It seems we are caught between Casinos and a desire for a more “civil” economic base as a foundation for our economic future. I believe we can have both if the powers that be can come to the realization that compromise, cooperation and sharing may be the best solution for everyone. History has proven compromises as being the very foundation of many political decisions in the creation of our nation and our Commonwealth. The casino proponents are not going to go away so we must offer them an alternative, which is really part of their own plan.
The future economic strategy that is developing throughout the world is horizontal integration of businesses or partnerships which we can already see taking place on a grand scale in the Air Transportation Industry as airlines continue to develop these partnerships to expand their capacity and increase their profits and those that didn’t have died. The investors who want to build casinos on Saipan need to seriously consider this strategy because they mentioned a desire to also build a “Convention Center/Hotel” and the casino was to give convention goers a means to gamble and have fun — simply build a Convention Center/Hotel and you can even “exploit” the existing casinos.
The investors will truly be welcomed, supported and even appreciated if they will try to work within the existing economic model of the CNMI which has casinos on the outer islands. A better and safer investment plan would be to build the Convention Center/ Hotel on Saipan as they said and seek partnerships with the existing Casinos or build one on Tinian & Rota because WE the People DO NOT want casinos on Saipan —period!!! We have already been bitten once by the gambling snake (poker machines) and people with common sense don’t get bit by the same snake twice. The great part is the CNMI has already been looking into a possible Convention Center and there is land, plans and even a blue prints developed by a previous member of the CNMI Legislature — plans that these investors may be able to get for free.
Saipan would be a great site to become the “Convention Mecca” for S. E. Asia and the Micronesia Region given our close proximity to S. E. Asia. Unlike Hawaii and Guam that have become very much like a metropolitan city on the mainland, the NMI still processes the mood of Paradise in the Pacific which is a great attraction for conventions. With a Convention Center on Saipan, the CNMI will be much more competitive with Hawaii for these conventions, especially in the cost of airfares as we are much closer to S. E. Asia. I believe our efforts would be better served by working towards bringing in large groups of visitors to the CNMI who can travel to Tinian or even Rota to gamble and have a great experience of TRUE island life.
Creating partnerships with the existing Casinos and Airlines to bring in conventions is the best way to resolve this issue of creating more casinos on Saipan. The Casinos and the Convention center can complement each other. But I’m sure readers are able to see the real problem — the investors want to make ALL the money by having the Casinos and the Convention Center on Saipan. But it is far better to make SOME money than NO money. We have a saying in my culture from the days of slavery — “he who tries to hog it all for himself will have nothing in the end” because slaves HAD to work together and share or perish — the same is true for the investors who have clearly created a hostile and uncertain environment for investing in casinos on Saipan.
Presently, the largest venue in the Micronesia Region is an old gym on Guam. A convention center with 20,000 seats or more on Saipan would give the CNMI a significant advantage and greatly improve our potential for international exposure through events at the convention center. The CNMI can even host more international events for our region and the investors will make millions and I can show them how if they need help. These investors will also be welcomed by the existing casinos if they are smart because the convention traffic could indeed be the salvation for all the casinos on Tinian and Rota.
I would like to offer a word of advice to the investors because history has proven that unwanted investors, especially when they are tied to the politics of the area or region, usually end up with nothing in the end — a lesson I’m sure these investors don’t want to learn the hard way because you can lose it all with the changing of the law at ANYTIME! These investors need to work with the PEOPLE of Saipan or their plan won’t work at all in the long run — it is just that simple. I also believe we need to look beyond the faces that represent the investment capital to find the true source of the capital they are talking about investing. Who is the true owner of this money is the number ONE question and is it clean money? Nobody seems to be thinking or caring about this very important FACT that needs to be investigated and disclosed because we should know who is trying to get in bed with us forever literally.
The investors and their front people can go ahead and try to force the casinos down our throats but I can assure them that I will be saying I Told You So once again. The CNMI needs to now focus on the infrastructure to support the existing casinos, not new ones that will still need the same support system- we need a Convention Center on Saipan, not casinos. The Legislature needs to work on the BIG picture and do all it can to convince these investors to build a convention center. One people one direction for Team Work to build a welcomed Convention Center/ Hotel and to work with the existing casinos and not against them — there is enough cash to go around for everyone if we can learn to compromise, share and work together as a Team to build the best infrastructure for our tourist industry.
Post Script: The Convention Center was part of the GOP Platform in the governor & delegate race but We the People voted for SOMETHING different which is proving to be NOTHING — duh! We voted ourselves into this mess and we must vote ourselves OUT of this mess — it is that simple!!!
AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan
