Acting Commonwealth Casino Commission Chai Ralph S. Demapan listens to Assistant Attorney General Carl Dela Cruz during a revocation hearing on Feb. 29, 2024 in the governor’s conference room on Capital Hill.
ON Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the Commonwealth Casino Commission will deliberate and decide whether or not to revoke Imperial Pacific International’s exclusive casino license.
Before the adjournment of the revocation hearing on March 1, 2024, the commission, through its legal counsel, Assistant Attorney General Carl Dela Cruz, said within 30 days, they would schedule a public hearing, allowing the people to voice their opinions before the CCC makes a decision.
In an interview on Monday, acting CCC Chair Ralph S. Demapan said they always give the people an opportunity to comment during their meetings.
But he also said that the commission will base its decision on what has been submitted during the revocation hearing.
Demapan said the deliberation on April 2 will start at 10 a.m. in the CCC conference room in Gualo Rai.
During the revocation hearing earlier this month, IPI submitted a settlement agreement under which it would pay $31 million for its arrears and $16 million for the lifting of the license suspension. IPI said it would also give up the exclusivity of its gaming license.
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has said that he rejected IPI’s settlement proposal because the casino investor wanted to pay only $15 million of the more than $60 million it owes the Commonwealth in arrears.
According to CCC, IPI owes the CNMI government over $62 million in annual exclusive casino license fees and over $17.62 million in regulatory fees plus fines and penalties, for a total of $79.63 million. IPI was unable to meet its obligations to the CNMI government after its casino ceased operations due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
House Floor Leader Edwin Propst, for his part, said IPI must pay the $62 million it owes the CNMI government.
“If they fail to do so, the license must be revoked. I also hope IPI will do the right thing and tell federal officials and the Office of the Attorney General if they ever paid off any public officials in bribes and kickbacks, or were ever approached to do so,” he said.
