IPI doing mega-business at Best Sunshine
Saipan Rep. Edwin K. Propst is calling for a gaming tax on Imperial Pacific International, which operates the Best Sunshine Live temporary casino on the island and is constructing a permanent casino resort on the Pacific island. Currently IPI only pays an annual license fee of $15 million and the standard 5 percent business gross revenue tax.
Propst said $15 million a year “is peanuts for what they are raking in when compared to what we would be receiving if we actually had a gross revenue tax implemented from the beginning.” IPI reported $32.37 billion in rolling chip volume in 2016 and $5.59 billion for January alone.
According to the Saipan Tribune, the local gaming act does not prohibit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from imposing a gaming revenue tax. Propst pointed out that Macau levies a 35 percent tax on gross gaming revenues.
Propst also slammed IPI following pictures posted on social media sites showing a huge pile of debris at the construction site of the Imperial Pacific Resort in Garapan. A trash fire broke out in an area where the multi-million dollar casino-resort is being built. “It is unbelievable that they are allowed to continue in that environment,” the representative said. “I have never seen a more polluted and debris-filled construction site ever.”
He also griped that traffic has snarled near the casino entrance. “Would it be too much to ask them to pay for a traffic light at the intersection since it is the main turn to their casino?” he asked.
Meanwhile, House Vice-Speaker Janet Maratita has introduced a bill that would impose a 5 percent tax on all gaming revenues in the CNMI. And
Governor Ralph DLG Torres had also said the new casino should be taxed.
“When you encourage casino gaming, you start an investment and eventually we should tax it. No ifs, no buts. Definitely we will tax them, but we need them to get the investment started first,” Torres said.
