IPI ordered to remove tower crane
Saipan’s Department of Public Works cites safety concerns.
Northern Mariana Islands.- The Department of Public Works (DPW) has issued a safety notice ordering IPI to remove a tower crane at its unfinished casino resort in Garapan. DPW secretary Ray N. Yumul told The Saipan Tribune that the notice was served to the casino operator due to safety concerns over impending Typhoon Bolaven.
The notice was signed by acting building safety officer, Yvonne Tenorio. Tower Crane No. 5 has not been used since December 2020. Concerns arose due to the deteriorating condition of its frame components and connections, with visible signs of rust. Tower crane No. 6 was removed in 2021.
A week ago, Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero, the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) board chair, revealed that a potential investor has expressed a willingness to invest in completing IPI’s unfinished casino resort.
During a CCC board meeting, DeLeon Guerrero said the prospective investor would not pay the fees that IPI owes: US$62m in casino licence fees owed to the CNMI government and US$14.5m in regulatory fees owed to CCC.
