The government is getting tired of waiting for Ariston Sdn Bhd, which operates the Naga casino in Phnom Penh, to get moving on its planned golf resort in Sihanoukville, officials said.
“We want to see this move ahead,” said Thong Khon, secretary of state for the Ministry of Tourism. “They have done nothing beside putting up a wall around the site and posting a guard.”
Ith Detola, governor of Sihanoukville, says he would like to see the golf resort built, but he is not sure Ariston is sincere. He said the city might cancel the agreement if Malaysia-based Ariston doesn’t start work soon.
Ariston officials declined to comment Monday, but have said in the past that they are hamstrung in Sihanoukville because the government cannot deliver a clear title to the land.
Chen Lip Keong, who heads Ariston, told Agence France-Presse recently that shotgun-wielding strongmen who claim to own some of the land have confronted his Sihanoukville property manager.
The planned golf course and resort is to be built on 265 hectares of land, Thong Khon said. Of that land, some 50 hectares are claimed by 26 families. The conflict is supposed to be resolved by an inter-ministerial committee, he said.
Thong Khon said Ariston signed a $1.3 billion deal in 1994 to develop a number of projects in Cambodia, including major infrastructure improvements and luxury resorts like the golf resort off Ocheateal Beach.
But about all that has happened in the six years since, is that Ariston opened the Naga casino and was replaced for non-performance as the contractor on an expansion of the Sihanoukville power plant, Thong Khon said.
Earlier this month, Ariston announced plans for a $100 million resort complex in Phnom Penh that will include a casino and luxury hotel. Chen Lip Keong said the 1994 agreement gives his company the right to run a casino in the city.
Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara disagrees, saying that while a luxury hotel is welcome, the government has banned casinos within 200 km of the city.
Meanwhile, officials in Sihanoukville are left wondering if Ariston intends to meet its obligations.“I can’t guess if they will invest or not,”said First Governor Chhun Sirun.
Tourist officials say business in Sihanoukville will pick up for everyone if the beach areas are developed properly.
Dee Long, managing director of Angkor Civilization Travel Service, said, “Whenever the beach becomes nicer, I take my visitors there.”
