Propst: House should pressure CCC to revoke IPI’s casino license

Acting as one body, the House of Representatives should figure out when to pressure the Commonwealth Casino Commission to pull the trigger and just revoke the casino license of the Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC, according to Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) last Monday.

“I’m ready to push and to work hard in revoking that license, unless there is some money that falls from the sky from IPI. But that’s about as likely as pigs flying,” said Propst during a session.

He said they’re hearing promises that IPI will be paying $5 million a year to the CNMI government and $1 million a year to the CCC, but “with all the promises that they have violated, and everything that they have reneged on, how can we know that they’re sincere?”

Howyo Chi, the newly appointed manager/director for IPI, disclosed at a recent CCC board meeting, that IPI is proposing to pay $5 million a year for four years to the CNMI government for the casino license fee and $1 million per year for four years to the CCC for regulatory fee, in exchange for getting back its suspended casino license.

The CCC board ordered the indefinite suspension of IPI’s casino license last April 2021 for violating the commission’s orders in five enforcement actions.

Propst, who is the House floor leader, said he will be talking with House Gaming Committee chair Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) about meeting with the CCC.

“I think that’s something that at this point we need to do. But all of us, every single one of us in this room right now, should be a part of this meeting. It shouldn’t only be Gaming [Committee members],” he said.

Propst said every one of them has a vested interest in this casino, which he said is just an “eyesore” in the tourist district. He said no matter how much improvement they do in Garapan, especially for Precinct 3, “that eyesore is going to stand there.”

Propst said that independent engineers and architects should assess the IPI casino/resort building to see if it’s even worth continuing construction work.