THE lack of a wastewater facility was the only issue that had been delaying the opening of the Tinian Diamond Casino Hotel, Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan said on Friday.
In an interview, he said the construction of a new sewer system for the casino has already been completed.
The mayor said the casino owner, Big Investment Group, had to comply with the requirements of the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality before BIG could move ahead with the grand opening of its casino and hotel which should take place before the end of this year.
“They were required to hook up to a new sewer system. That’s the only thing that had been holding this up,” the mayor said. “Now they have finished the sewer system and the casino is ready to open.”
Aldan said BIG has renewed its $500,000 casino license twice since it was issued almost two years ago.
The payment for the next renewal of the casino license fee is due on Oct. 1 but the investor has a 90-day grace period.
Aldan said BIG has already hired workers for its casino and the hotel.
The Tinian casino investor is leasing the island’s harbor from the Commonwealth Ports Authority for its casino-hotel project which will include a ferry terminal.
