Lifofoi, who also chairs the Commonwealth Ports Authority, disclosed yesterday that Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and the officials of High International Standard, or HIS, travel agency discussed with UMDA the possibility of using Palms Resort in San Roque as an “evacuation area.”
Lifoifoi said UMDA, which owns the hotel, agreed.
They do not know how long the Japanese evacuees would stay in the hotel, but “we cannot say no,” he added.
Like other hotels on Saipan, Palms Resort, formerly known as Hotel Nikko, was built by Japanese investors.
When the number of tourists declined following Japan Airlines’ pullout from the CNMI five years ago, Nikko was sold to UMDA.
Last year, Palms Resort closed down for “renovations.”
Lifoifoi said they are now working with the administration and HIS on the accommodations of the evacuees. One of the things they are looking at right now is the utility cost, he added.
More investors
In a separate interview, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said there are investors interested in buying Palms Resort and Plumeria Hotel, which shut down in Oct. 2008.
“Big investors” from China are interested in Plumeria and are on island now, the governor added.
“We don’t discuss the amount. They just ask me to support,” he said.
Lifoifoi for his part, said those who want to buy Palms Resort are “big investors from South Korea.”
He said UMDA chief executive officer David Wickline, who is in San Francisco, California, is set to travel to South Korea to meet these investors.
Lifoifoi said that it is premature to disclose more details at this time.
But he added that there are “lots of investors” who want to buy Palms Resort.
“If we could get the funds that we need, we’d rather go on our own. But we need additional funds, so we need partners or new investors,” he said.
