Progress stalls on agreement between IPI and CCC

Ian Morell, the CCC’s acting executive director, has said that IPI has made changes that the regulator doesn’t agree with.

Northern Mariana Islands.- Discussions between Imperial Pacific International and the Commonwealth Casino Commission appear to have reached a stalemate, preventing an agreement that could save IPI’s exclusive casino licence. According to Ian Morell, the CCC’s acting executive director, IPI “chose to make changes that we don’t agree with.”

The CCC has already begun licence revocation proceedings as a result of IPI’s failure to meet its commitments, including its annual exclusive casino licence fees, regulatory fees and key employee licensing fees. Those proceedings have currently been stayed under a court order to allow IPI to seek to reach an agreement.

According to CCC chair Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero, IPI has not paid its 2020 and 2021 licence fees. He noted that the regulator has had to cut back from close to 50 employees to only nine due to IPI’s failure to pay its fees. CCC’s revenue for the fiscal year 2021 was only $20,215.

IPI claims that it was unable to meet its financial obligations under the CLA as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and Super Typhoon Yutu, which negatively impacted its business. However, attorneys for the CCC have argued that IPI’s motion should be dismissed because the plaintiff has failed to demonstrate the four factors required for special relief: the likelihood of success on the merits, irreparable damages, hardship damages and advancement of the public interest.

Earlier this week, IH Group chairman Kyunam Kim and other company officials toured Imperial Pacific International‘s casino, 15 luxury mansions and the unfinished hotel complex in Garapan. IH Group is to provide funding to continue work on the site.