Saipan Mayor David M Apatang says he supports a bill that will grant operators of poker arcades in the island’s villages a two-year extension before having to vacate their premises, according to the Marianas Variety newspaper.
Under current legislation, poker arcade owners must move out by 15 October 2017 and relocate to specific areas such as adult business parks, tourist resorts, mixed commercial, Garapan core, Garapan east or the Beach Road zoning district.
However, Apatang is concerned by the prospect of at least 50% of operators being negatively impacted by the law and the potential for subsequent loss of revenue in poker license fees that fund the scholarships awarded by the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program.
“Our curiosity is focused on the effect the bill will have on non-conforming establishments; we wanted to know how many such establishments and the number of machines that are or will be expected to relocate and comply with Saipan Local Law 18-5 and the application of the limitations set out in that law,” he said.
“For whatever it’s worth, we have to defer to the local delegation to decide on the fate of the bill, but we want to express our full support for its passage.”
