Dynasty could re-open

Overgrown vegetation ring the premises of the defunct Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino when this photo was taken last weekend. Damage to some rooms can be observed from the outside. A security guard has been posted with two dogs at the entrance gate. The casino operation stopped in August 2016, while the hotel operation halted in March 2016. (Ferdie de la Torre)

TINIAN—Mega Stars Overseas Ltd., which has management rights over the defunct Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, is still looking at an opportunity to re-open the property, either as a hotel or just a casino, according to Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan.

In an interview over the weekend, Aldan acknowledged that Tinian Dynasty is going through a tough time, but that the municipal government does have an open line to Mega Stars’ representatives.

Aldan said they are encouraging Mega Stars to consider just opening the hotel for now.

He disclosed that they will be meeting in a couple of weeks with the shareholders of Mega Stars to discuss the company’s options.

He said the island has only 52 or so available rooms for tourists. “We really need rooms,” he added.

Aldan said that people from off-island and tourists usually just spends the day on the island, despite wanting to stay overnight, enjoy the sunset, and have dinner at the beach.

Saipan Tribune spotted over the weekend a security guard, who has been posted at the closed gate of Tinian Dynasty. The guard also keeps two dogs. A woman later seen entering the premises.

Aldan said Mega Stars hired security guards to make sure that the Tinian Dynasty property is not vandalized or burglarized.

When he became mayor, that’s when he learned that a former employee of Tinian Dynasty lives in the barracks at the back of the property.

Aldan said there is no electric power and water supply at the Tinian Dynasty building, but he believes the person who stays in the back of the property was given a generator and some food and water supply in the wake of Super Typhoon Yutu.

Tinian Dynasty’s casino operation stopped in August 2015. The hotel operation halted in March 2016. Some of its foreign employees are still on Tinian, while others are now working on Saipan and some went back to their home countries.

Fifteen foreign workers have sued Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investments Ltd., owner of Tinian Dynasty, and Mega Stars for allegedly lying to them that they were legally authorized to work despite the denial of their CW-1 petitions.

Tinian Dynasty and Mega Stars have failed to get a lawyer to answer the lawsuit. As a result, the 15 foreign workers are now asking the federal court to issue a default judgment, holding HKE and Mega Stars liable to pay them $4.2 million in damages.

Last year, Chun Wai Chan, a corporate representative of both HKE and Mega Stars, disclosed before the U.S. District Court for the NMI that the total outstanding liabilities of Tinian Dynasty has now climbed to over $250 million, excluding the $75 million in civil penalty assessed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.