THE Tinian Diamond Hotel and Casino closed its doors on Thursday, according to its Vice President for Casino Operations, Michael J. Mascio.
“As of today, December 26, 2024, Tinian Diamond Casino has regretfully ceased operations,” Mascio said in an email to Variety.
Asked why the closure occurred earlier than Dec. 31, 2024, as previously announced, Mascio said, “It’s the board’s decision,” referring to the owners of Tinian Diamond.
As of Sunday, Mascio was waiting for the board’s response to Variety’s inquiries about the circumstances that led to Tinian Diamond’s closure.
Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission Chairman Antonio Borja said the casino’s closure does not also mean loss of revenue for the island community, but also the loss of jobs. Aside from a few casino employees, there are local residents working at Tinian Diamond’s restaurant and hotel, he said.
Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, in a separate interview, said the gaming commission still has the opportunity to maintain dialogue with the casino operator in the hope that the casino, hotel, and restaurant can somehow continue to operate.
He said the Tinian casino law allows the gaming commission to conduct an administrative hearing within 90 days from the date of the shutdown notice before it makes a decision on the casino license.
During the administrative hearing, both parties can discuss how the commission can assist the operator in continuing the casino’s operations and maintaining its license.
But “to be honest,” the mayor said, “they had to cease operation because they are not making money.”
According to statistics from the Marianas Visitors Authority, CNMI tourism arrivals remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels.
Mayor Aldan said that “everybody is hoping that the gaming commission and the casino operator can still find ways to keep the casino, the hotel and the restaurant running because we cannot just kick the can down the road.”
Owned by Bridge Investment Group LLC, the Tinian Diamond and Casino officially opened on Nov. 30, 2023.
The casino investor has been paying the Tinian gaming commission a $500,000 annual license fee and a $2,000 service industry fee.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the Tinian mayor’s name. It is Edwin P. Aldan, not Edwin P. Palacios.
