The Bureau of Environmental Coastal Quality looks to bolster its monitoring presence on Tinian using the historic $1.2 million permit siting fee paid by Alter City Group for its proposed hotel resort project on the island.<\/p>\n
In an interview, BECQ administrator Frank Rabauliman said that just by looking at the archaeological designs of the project, he could not recall another development that even comes close to that size.<\/p>\n
Citing the proposed commercial hotel-casino and military planned live-fire ranges, Rabauliman said they are looking to beef up their human resource and technical presence on Tinian.<\/p>\n
Alter City has proposed a construction timeline of 12 years to be done in three phases. The company secured from the government in November last year a lease on a 152-hectare Tinian land that currently sits on a dumpsite.<\/p>\n
Alter City wants to build a $360-million resort that includes 1,000 hotel rooms, water parks, an 18-hole golf course, villas, casino facilities, and related tourism amenities.<\/p>\n
The $1.2 million Alter City paid last week BECQ covers the project\u2019s first phase. The bureau calculates fees through a formula assessing the project\u2019s total investment.<\/p>\n
Noting how Alter City\u2019s lease sits on a dumpsite, Rabauliman said the bureau would have to look at impacts on coastal areas, among others, he said.<\/p>\n
Not only commercial development but also military development creates a \u201cneed for added resources on Tinian,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to make certain that is taken care of,\u201d he said, referring to the U.S. military plans for live-fire ranges on Tinian.<\/p>\n
The bureau has only one staff on Tinian, tasked with routine monitoring, according to Rabauliman.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, another multi-million dollar resort project on Tinian has not yet filed permit application with the Coastal Resources Management, even after signing a lease with the Commonwealth Ports Authority in March last year.<\/p>\n
Bridge Investment Group LLC plans to build a $130- million-plus resort, the Tinian Ocean View Resort. In March 2014, it was reported that actual construction was being eyed for December this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have not received any permit application on this proposed development,\u201d said CRM director Fran Castro when asked about this.<\/p>\n
An email sent to BIG executive director Phillip Mendiola-Long was not replied to as of yesterday.<\/p>\n
Rabauliman said, though, they have had pre-application meeting with the company representatives, where they have walked through the proposed investment.<\/p>\n
BIG has leased 439,200 square feet on Tinian for .30 cents per square foot.<\/p>\n
The resort\u2019s proposed 300 hotel rooms will include a presidential suite, 15 suites, and 58 executive suites. The facility will also include a casino and banquet room, among other amenities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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