ALL eight units of Sugar King Food Court will be fully occupied by concessionaires soon, Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang said.
An eight-unit kiosk is one of the park projects funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provided $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant.
One of the grant conditions is that the food stalls must be occupied by vendors.
The construction of the food court was completed in 2008, but no vendor moved in until about three years ago.
Bitoy’s Barbecue was the first vendor at the food court.
Today, the other vendors are RJ Pizza, Chow Time Fast Food and an ice cream parlor, the mayor said, adding that other food vendors will move in soon.
The vendors do not pay rent, but they have to meet certain requirements, the mayor added.
The federal grant aims to encourage local entrepreneurs to open up new business on island, Apatang said.
“So this is [a] good opportunity for local businesses. A lot of people come to the park especially in the afternoon to walk around and eat,” he added.
Recently, the mayor’s office completed the construction of concrete picnic tables to complement the food court services.
The mayor’s office staffers also maintain the park to ensure its cleanliness and safety, the mayor said.
The park is named after Japanese entrepreneur Haruji “Sugar King” Matsue (1876-1959).
“This park is pretty much for our visitors, but local community members are also welcome to come here and enjoy themselves,” the mayor said.
“But it is important that we keep it clean, so I’m also asking the community to help us maintain the park,” he added.
The Sugar King Food Court in Garapan.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
