A group of indigenous Northern Marianas entrepreneurs that has been pushing for legalization of casino gambling on Saipan will hold a signature drive to back a local initiative to allow casinos on the island.
Former House Speaker Pedro R. Guerrero, president of the CNMI Indigenous Entrepreneurs Inc., told Saipan Tribune yesterday that they will be conducting the signature drive for the Saipan Casino Initiative at the Civic Center Basketball Court in Susupe on Jan. 13 at 8am.
Guerrero said village meetings with the public for this purpose will be scheduled and announced in the radio stations and newspapers.
This initiative, he said, may be cited as the Saipan Casino Act and will establish, regulate, and control casino gambling in the third senatorial district: Saipan and the islands north of Saipan.
“Our group will work hard to educate our people to make sure that they fully understand and to support it [initiative],” he said.
Under the plan, Guerrero said, the casino license will be owned by the Northern Marianas Descent Investment Corp. only but any interested investors can come in and operate a casino with the NMDIC.
The former speaker said they are hoping that the Legislature will look at the issue from the perspective that it is similar to the Indian casino concept, “which today greatly, greatly, benefit the Indian people.”
Among the objectives and intent of the Saipan Casino Act are to establish a Saipan Casino Commission, a Saipan Municipal Treasury within the Office of the Mayor of Saipan, and a Saipan Casino Fund.
The Saipan Gaming Commission will issue the casino license to the NMIDC only.
“The license shall be perpetual. The NMIDC shall be a profit corporation whose incorporators, directors, officers and shareholders shall be persons of Northern Marianas Descents,” Guerrero said.
Under the initiative, NMIDC is not allowed to sell, lease, transfer or assign the casino license or any interest to any other person.
However, NMIDC, with the approval of the Saipan Casino Commission, may enter into the following casino business gaming activities and operation:
* A casino management agreement for a fee or profit sharing with a person who has expertise in casino business management and operations.
* An agreement with a person for the financing, design and construction of a casino hotel complex of not less than 200 rooms and for the management and operation of the casino complex or just the operation of casino gaming activities for a fee or profit sharing.
* Casino Establishment Operation Agreement with hotel establishments with no less than 200 rooms for a fee or profit sharing.
The initiative said the minimum condition for approving a casino management agreement or casino establishment operation agreement by the Commission are the following:
* Employment of persons of Northern Marianas descent.
* The U.S. minimum wage shall be applicable to employees of the casino operators and shall govern the hourly pay rate.
* NMD residents shall be trained in supervisory and management positions and be placed in those positions once qualified within five years of business operation.
* Employee benefit programs, such as health and dental insurance, sick and vacation leave shall be instituted with the first 12 months of operation.
* Payment of all applicable fees and taxes.
Under the plan, the Division of Public Lands, at the request of NMIDC, shall issue public land to NMIDC.
“The land or lands issued shall not be transferable. Upon the dissolution of NMDIC, the land including all improvements on it shall revert to the DPL or its successor without cost,” according to the initiative.
The initiative said all application fees, license fees, permit fees, fines and penalties, and casino gross revenue tax pursuant to the Casino Act shall be considered local revenues for the Third Senatorial District, and shall be available for appropriation by the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation for local purposes.
Guerrero said that, while the ownership of the casino will be NMI descents, the benefit will extend to all persons residing on Saipan and even in the Commonwealth, directly and indirectly.
“There's a lot of opportunities that will be offered to local U.S. citizens and we may not have enough labor force that would require hiring people from the outside,” he said.
A local initiative petition requires the signature of at least 20 percent of registered voters before it can be placed on the ballot. To be ratified, the initiative has to be approved by at least two-thirds of voters.
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