IPI license hangs in the balance on Jan. 31
With the Commonwealth Casino Commission finally cleared to proceed with its casino license revocation hearing, board vice chair Rafael Demapan has directed Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC to appear before the CCC when it resumes the hearing on Jan. 31, 2024.
In an order Monday, a copy of which was obtained by Saipan Tribune yesterday, Demapan requested IPI to appear before the CCC at the Springs Plaza at 9am. The hearing will determine whether or not to revoke the exclusive casino license of the troubled casino operator.
Demapan said the hearing will be conducted in accordance with the Commonwealth Administrative Procedures Act and the CCC Rules and Regulations.
He said a decision will be issued at the end of the hearing.
Demapan said the purpose of the hearing is to afford the parties an opportunity to present their case and submit information for the commission’s consideration before the commission issues an order or decision on the matter.
This comes soon after the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari to IPI last Jan. 9, 2024, leaving in place a U.S. Ninth Circuit ruling that allows the CCC to continue its revocation proceedings against IPI’s casino license.
Last Dec. 13, CCC executive director Andrew Yeom moved the commission to issue an order setting a revocation hearing on Yeom’s two complaints against IPI. The CCC board granted Yeom’s motion during a meeting last Dec. 28.
CCC board chair Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero earlier stated that the revocation is in reference to the CCC’s enforcement actions 2021-002 and 003 against IPI, which went into the Superior Court and CNMI Supreme Court.
“That basically is what we’re pursuing now for the revocation. They need to comply with that. That’s been fully litigated,” the DeLeon Guerrero said.
He said there was an order that came out of the CCC board and it has to do with the non-payment of license fee, regulatory fee, three months reserved for payroll, and payments IPI owes its vendors that are uncontested.
DeLeon Guerrero said those matters have already been litigated and that they are not going to relitigate it.
IPI failed to pay some $62 million in casino license fees it owes the CNMI government by the Dec. 30, 2023 deadline.
Rafael Demapan
