Phnom Penh municipality has issued a “pay up or move” ultimatum to the owners of the Naga floating casino for $389,972 in outstanding rent allegedly owed to the city.
In a Feb 20 letter from the municipality to Ariston, a docking fee of $213,890 is being requested from the Malaysian company for the casino ship’s mooring on the Tonle Bassac River bank from January 1995 to January 2001.
The letter also requests that Ariston pay a further $176,082 for the rental of a 6,403 square meter plot of land used as a parking lot since July 1996 by the casino.
Ariston has three months to pay the bill or move the casino, according to the letter signed by Deputy Governor Chev Kimheng.
Municipal Chief of Cabinet Mann Chhoeun said Wednesday the request for payment was first made in July 2000 but the city received no reply. Two subsequent requests were made in January and February, he added.
Although the municipality has no lease agreements with Ariston regarding property rental, Mann Chhoeun said it doesn’t negate the fact that the land belongs to the city and a fee must be paid for its use.
“This place belongs to the municipality. Ariston has occupied this land for many years and [has] not paid money,” Mann Chhoeun said.
An Ariston official has requested a meeting with Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara, he said.
Ariston Snd Bhd, the casino’s parent company, had little to say Wednesday about the reimbursement demand. A spokeswoman for Ariston said the company is “looking into” the matter.
The Naga casino is already destined to leave its riverside location and re-establish itself in a new $100-million Ariston hotel complex to be constructed just 500 meters away. The ship will be moved downriver to a site near the new hotel.
Municipal officials have long expressed dismay at the continued presence of the Naga ship, which is Phnom Penh’s sole remaining casino. In October, Chea Sophara said that he welcomed Ariston’s slated hotel complex but said the casino should be outside the city.
Situated at the Tonle Bassac end of Hun Sen Park, the Naga ship is also located within the municipality’s new river front redevelopment zone.
Trucks working on the project to construct a promenade extending from Hun Sen park to Monivong Bridge were busy dumping mounds of freshly excavated earth on a large section of the casino’s car park Wednesday.
The mounds of earth, which have now reached just meters from the ship’s gangway, sent billowing clouds of fine red dust over vehicles and motorcycles belonging to the casino’s staff and patrons.
