With just 581 workers that are working right now on the third floor of a 14-floor structure, the Aug. 31, 2018, deadline of Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC to complete the casino resort appears difficult to meet. Unless it brings in a new contractor with lots of workers, the company may find it difficult to meet that deadline.<\/p>\n
The Commonwealth Casino Commission told IPI executives last week that they are skeptical about the company\u2019s ability to complete their resort casino in Garapan before the agreed deadline next year.<\/p>\n
With only 581 workers right now, the Imperial Pacific Resort in Garapan appears to be facing a construction worker crisis. According to IPI executives, the resort is currently working on the third floor that is reportedly only 42-percent complete.<\/p>\n
According to an official progress report submitted to the casino commission, the $507-million casino resort is currently 62 percent complete, with $334 million already expended.<\/p>\n
IPI executives said this computation includes the material on-site.<\/p>\n
Casino commission chair Juan Sablan told IPI executives during the meeting that the lack of manpower was concerning for them, especially since the upper half of IPR is \u201cbare bones.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe just signed the [fifth amendment of the casino license agreement], setting up a timetable for August of next year to complete [the Imperial Pacific Resort]. That is a huge undertaking. You are looking at a structure that is practically from the top bare bones. I don\u2019t think you can complete the project by August next year if you don\u2019t hire as soon as possible another major contractor to take over,\u201d Sablan told the executives.<\/p>\n
IPI assured the commission that they are in discussion with local construction companies. <\/p>\n
Currently, MCC International is the prime contractor for IPI. <\/p>\n
MCC representatives reportedly fled the island after it came to light that they brought in construction workers from China as tourists and then failed to pay them properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased on what we have on our schedule, at this moment, we can tell you that we are still on target,\u201d said an IPI executive in response to Sablan. <\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026 If we got more manpower, then we could accelerate [the progress],\u201d the executive added.<\/p>\n
CCC executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero asked the executive if he was confident that the hotel would be done before the deadline of August 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we can,\u201d replied the executive.<\/p>\n
Commission vice chair Joseph Reyes questioned the reported 62-percent completion of the facility. He noted that a quick inspection of the current progress suggests otherwise.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the commission has yet to receive anything from Development Plan Advisory Committee. \u201cThis is, in my view, part of [the DPAC\u2019s] role on the implementation schedule,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
Casino commission legal counsel Mike Ernest informed the commission that the casino license agreement revision 5 omits the initial gaming facility from \u201chaving to submit to DPAC.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt quite explicitly cut out the implementation schedules. They do not need to be submitting to the DPAC for the initial gaming facility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether or not DPAC is in the picture or not, IPI is still obligated to carry through with the terms and conditions of the license agreement,\u201d said Deleon Guerrero. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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