GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios said he “absolutely supports” the decision of the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs and the House Committee on Natural Resources to approve the new 40-year land lease agreement between the Department of Public Lands and Suwaso Corporation for the public land occupied by Coral Ocean Resort in Koblerville.
In an interview on Tuesday the governor said, “We’ve just got to make sure that we are in constant communication with the COR so that the benefits and … the expectations are [met] on a timely basis.”
He said miscommunication has been a problem with many land lease contracts between the government and investors. “Sometimes we don’t get back to them,” he said.
If public land tenants are not in compliance with the contract, “we’ve got to let them know, and remind them,” he added. “We have to begin to communicate much better with our public land tenants.”
On Monday, the Senate and House joint committee co-chaired by Senate Floor Leader Corina L. Magofna and Rep. Angelo Camacho unanimously voted to recommend to the Senate and the House the approval of a 40-year land lease agreement with COR.
On the same day, the joint committee finalized the joint legislative resolution approving the land lease deal.
Also present during the joint committee meeting were Senate Vice President Donald Manglona, Sen. Paul A. Manglona, Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider and Rep. Julie Marie Ogo, who all attended via Zoom. Those who attended in person were Vice Speaker Joel Camacho, Reps. Vincent Aldan, Blas Jonathan Attao, Roman Benavente, John Paul Sablan and Diego Vincent F. Camacho.
Sen. Frank Q. Cruz and Rep. Manny Gregory Castro were excused.
It was Rep. John Paul Sablan who made the motion to recommend the approval of the land lease deal with COR. He said because the joint committee had conducted several meetings to discuss the matter, he expected all the members to sign the joint resolution.
Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, for his part, said he hoped to get the joint resolution ready so the Senate and the House could schedule a joint session to pass it.
The Legislature is acting on the new 40-year land lease agreement with COR in light of the expiration on Aug. 10, 2026 of the current lease agreement’s 15-year extension.
Once approved by the Legislature, the new land lease deal, which includes an 18-hole golf course on As Gonno Road in Koblerville, will commence on Aug. 11, 2026.
