Saipan IR operator Imperial Pacific International (IPI) is reportedly considering the use of dual construction shifts, including a nighttime shift, in order to expedite completion of its Imperial Pacific Resort in the US island territory.
The prospect was raised during the monthly meeting between IPI and the local Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) after the Hong Kong-listed casino firm confirmed it won’t make the 31 August 2018 deadline for completion of Imperial Pacific Resort as per its casino license agreement.
IPI has flagged December as a more realistic goal for completion, however the company’s Vice President for Construction, Eric Poon, revealed this week that IPI is looking into the possibility of night shifts to speed up the process, according to the Saipan Tribune.
“Right now, we already notified the people concerned about the possibility of nightshift work,” he said. “The exact date we still have to iron out with Pacific Rim because right now, we have to put the safety features needed especially at night before we put a date for the second (work) shift.”
Poon said that main construction work would be conducted during the daytime only but that night shifts could be utilized for “restocking materials and welding for the building façade.”
Imperial Pacific Resort has been plagued by construction delays, including a complete halt to construction late last year after it was revealed that IPI’s former contractors – MCC, Beleida and Gold Mantis – had employed more than 2,000 workers illegally.
The company hired Pacific Rim to help repopulate its workforce earlier this year but progress has been slower than expected. Under IPI’s current Casino License Agreement, Imperial Pacific Resort must complete a minimum of 329 hotel rooms, 14,140 square meters of gaming area and other elements by no later than 31 August 2018.
Poon told the CCC this week that IPI currently has 68 management staff and 1,402 construction workers including 700 working directly for IPI on a H2-B visa. The company is allowed to employ 1,500 direct employees under the visa program.
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