Mayor Donald G. Flores said Sablan, who offered a $41,000 bid, can start his cockfight operation on April 1.
Sablan surpassed the $28,888.88 bid by Lawyers Services represented by Maryann Calvo, the current cockfight licensee.
Only two bidders participated and the minimum bid requirement was $20,000 a year for a five-year license.
Attorney Jack Torres, who reviewed the bids, said both have “properly submitted” the required documents.
Sablan was the former license holder.
Aside from the bidders, the opening of bids was witnessed by the mayor’s special adviser Henry Hofschneider as well as staffers Jeff Cabrera, Terry Camacho and Vinycia Seman.
Lucy T. Sablan, who represented her husband Nick Sablan, told Variety they are “ready” to re-open the Gualo Rai arena.
“We have been maintaining it for the past two years even though there was no operation there,” she said.
The arena was previously used by Calvo when she obtained the license but she later moved to As Gonno.
Calvo’s permit expired in July 2010 but the mayor’s office gave her a two-month extension.
After two months, the mayor’s office extended her license until a winning bidder was announced.
Lucy T. Sablan said the Gualo Rai arena is “very safe” and in compliance with cockfight standards.
She noted that they have been operating cockfights for 25 years now.
Despite the economic downturn, she said they will work harder to keep their business afloat.
“We will ask the mayor’s office to help stop illegal cockfights on Saipan,” she said.
