E-Land unveils master plan for Saipan

SEOUL, S. Korea—A grand six-star hotel, a luxury village, and a lavish shopping mall—these are just some of Korea-based company E-Land Group is planning for Saipan in the years ahead.

The company’s three-stage plan was announced to members of the Saipan media in a press conference headed by E-Land vice chair Sky Park in one of their offices here in Seoul.

This is the first time that E-Land has held an official press conference about their upcoming projects that will benefit the Commonwealth. Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio attended the event.

“I am dreaming about our big picture [on] Saipan destination and we would like to work with the CNMI government to make Saipan the most visited destination in the world,” Park said in Korean, translated by director of sales and marketing Ted Jung.

Stage 1

Under its Saipan master plan, Stage 1 of the project includes the renovation of the former Palms Resort Saipan and its rebranding as the Kensington Hotel, as well as adding features to their current operating hotels, Coral Ocean Point and Pacific Islands Club Saipan.

Kensington Hotel, which will be a six-star hotel, will include a water park, condominium, and luxury villas.

In keeping with Kensington brand standards, the Saipan hotel will have its own theme, which will be marine cruise, to tie in with the hotel’s existing structure. It will have an infinity pool, a terrace restaurant shaped like a boat docked beside the pool, as well as a tropical garden.

The renovation of the property will cost between $50 million and $60 million and E-Land says they will have a soft opening in May next year. A grand opening will be held the following month.

E-Land earlier said they will reopen in December of this year but their project was postponed due to the challenges faced by the CNMI in recent months following Typhoon Soudelor, wherein they also suffered about $4 million in damage.

New features will be added to Pacific Islands Club in San Antonio as well as in Coral Ocean Point. Park said COP will have a stepping pool, individual villas with private pools, and an indoor and outdoor spa village.

E-Land said they are targeting 2018 to finish their Stage 1 projects.

Stage 2

For Stage 2, E-Land is looking at developing parts of San Antonio village as well as schools.

In their presentation, E-Land showed their San Antonio master plan that will include a water park and water theme resort.

They are in discussions with the Public School System with regards to renovating school facilities. E-Land’s plan includes renovating San Antonio Elementary School and Hopwood Jr. High School.

Another highlight of the group’s Stage 2 development is duty free shopping and shopping malls.

E-Land revealed that they are interested in and has submitted a letter of intent to bid for the master concession agreement to operate facilities at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport to sell duty-free merchandise.

“We delivered the letter to the [Commonwealth Ports Authority],” E-Land chief executive officer for hotel and leisure business Seong-Min Kang said, as translated by Jung.

“E-Land has been in contact with CPA and we are processing and standing by for the following steps,” Kang added.

Just last month, the CPA board, in a 4-2 vote, decided to bid out the master concession currently held by Duty Free Saipan/T-Galleria at the airport.

With this in the works, E-Land is also looking into renovating the abandoned La Fiesta Mall and turning it into a luxury shopping center.

Aside from hotel brands, E-Land has 150 clothing brands and 50 branches of department stores and outlets.

E-Land is targeting 2021 to accomplish these projects in the CNMI.

Stage 3

The third stage of E-Land’s development in the Commonwealth will include a luxury village that will be built on a cliff or hillside. Among other future developments includes establishment of an eco-adventure theme park, a business convention, a marine theme village, a Chamorro theme village, and a Santorini pool village.

E-Land said they hope to accomplish these by 2030, barring challenges and circumstances.

With all these developments within 15 years, the group did not give a price tag or even a ballpark figure on how much their total investment in the CNMI will be.

Although their plans are centered on Saipan, E-Land said they are also open-minded about opportunities on Tinian and Rota.