The Imperial Palace, once expected to be Saipan’s gambling treasure chest, has had to deal with a string of difficulties that were all caused by the developer, Imperial Pacific International (IPI), and its lack of ability to play by the letter – and the spirit – of the law. An inability to make good on licensing fees, improper working conditions, continuous rumors of bribes and shady deals, among other issues, have plagued the casino resort and kept it from becoming profitable. It now has to deal with another setback, but IPI isn’t necessarily to blame this time – it had some help. The coronavirus, which has devastated the gambling industry across the globe, has taken its toll on the company and the Imperial Palace is going to have to be shuttered temporarily to keep IPI from losing more money than it already has.
As of midnight last night, Imperial Palace is closed “until further notice,” according to the Saipan Tribune. IPI explains, “This measure will help with the reduction of social engagements and associated health risks,” adding that public interest has always been more important than business interests in the company’s operations model, although some of its previous actions don’t necessary reflect that assertion.
When the resort will be back in business isn’t yet known. IPI indicates that it will continue to monitor the situation and recommendations from public health officials, and make a determination based on the data. “We look forward to welcoming back our customers and employees at that time. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your continued support and business,” states IPI.
IPI had already been forced to reduce its staffing levels as a result of COVID-19 making its way through the Asian region. It cut workforce hours by 30% in the middle of last month in order to stave off revenue losses, and the new shutdown isn’t going to help the company recover. Imperial Palace has been operating in the red for the past couple of years, and there’s not much of a chance, at least for the first six months of this year, that it will be able to bounce back.
As is often the case, though, negative situations or issues can have a silver lining. In IPI’s case, the shutdown will give the company, since it has nothing else to do, time to reflect on its past mistakes and figure out how to put things in order, in accordance with established protocols and not its own. That way, Imperial Palace can be the jewel the company, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, expects it to be.
