Shotgun Start by MEGHAN HICKEY PLAIN ENGLISH

PAGE 16 I do — or not Businesses rethink wedding offerings PAGE 17 C MBJ Front Top Banner_FHP.pdf 2 1/16/19 11:01 AM M Y CM MY Building the illusion From north to south CY Guam magic industry shows Alaskan company sets up shop on Guam CMY Volume 16 No. 20 www.mbjguam.com February 4, 2019 - February 17, 2019 strength K t INDEX Shotgun start BY MEGHAN HICKEY PLAIN ENGLISH ................................................2 Journal staff RFP kicks off new Simon Sanchez procurement process JAPAN ........................................................................4 EDITORIAL ............................................................8 The magic industry on Guam is BY WAYNE CHARGUALAF Fernandez, Guam OPINION .................................................................8 thriving and is here to stay, largely Journal staff Department of in part due to location and friendly COMMENTARY ...................................................9 Education super- competition. EDITORIAL CARTOONS...........................8, 9 The Guam Department ofintendent, told “Magic is big right now. … It’s big the Journal. QUOTABLE ............................................................9 Education on Nov. 21 issued a re- and I see a big upswing, and it’s go- The plan — MARSHALL ISLANDS .................................11 quest for proposal to survey land ing to stay for a while,” Chris Zubrick, upon which to build a new Simon which calls for a co-illusionist and magician of the PALAU ....................................................14, 15, 24 Sanchez High School. The RFP — completely new Baldyga Groups’ Zubrick Magic per- LEGAL BRIEFS..................................................15 which had a deadline of Jan. 7 and structure to be formed at the Sandcastle Guam, told built, rather than CORPORATE GIVING ..................................17 for which GDOE received three un- the Journal. “It goes in ebbs and flows renovation of the FOCUS ............................................................20, 21 disclosed proposals — is the first step Fernandez … [but] I don’t see it slowing down in a procurement process that was existing structure any time soon, and Guam’s a per- BRIEFCASE .........................................................22 revamped to improve the process — is divided into fect example with four magic shows DATABANK .........................................29, 30, 31 of giving Simon Sanchez students a three phases. The first phase involves here,” he said. new home. building a new school next to the cur- Much like Colon, Michigan — the “Our strategy is to break this rent structure, the existing structure magic capital of the world — and up into digestible pieces,” Jon SEE PROCESS ON PAGE 13 Las Vegas, Nev.; Branson, Miss.; and Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tenn., A cold wind blowing Guam has become a destination for magic, with Zubrick Magic at the Sandcastle Guam, Encore! at the PERMIT NO. 76 PERMIT NO. U.S. POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE U.S. USPS MARKETING MAIL USPS MARKETING Fiesta Resort Guam, Magic Rocks at BARRIGADA, GUAM 96921 GUAM BARRIGADA, the Westin Resort Guam and Carme Magic Dinner Show at the Nikko Resort Guam all seeing successful numbers, despite a changing tourism market. “These places have become magic meccas, just magic all over the place. And now Guam, per capita, has become its own little magic mecca,” Photo by Meghan Hickey by Photo Zubrick said. “It’s tough competition.” What’s unique about Guam, not LABEL unlike other industries, is tourism — SUBSCRIBE but Asian tourism to be exact, said Ryan Zubrick, co-illusionist and magician in Zubrick Magic, and husband PUT YOUR NAME HERE — HERE NAME YOUR PUT Construction is progressing at the site of a new 1,080-square-foot showroom for Chinese air conditioner of Chris. and appliance brand Midea on Chalan San Antonio next to Elite Bakery. Construction Lead Boy Conanon of “It’s completely different than GR Construction LLC, the local company contracted for the construction, told the Journal on Feb. 1 that they received the permit for the work in September, but work had a slow start after the Aug. 3 groundbreaking due to rain and multiple change orders. The expected completion date will likely be extended past the initial April SEE MAGIC ON PAGE 25 timeframe anticipated, he said. Conanon has a team of 17 personnel working on the construction of the site. 2 February 4, 2019 - February 17, 2019 www.mbjguam.com Marianas Business Journal What’s in a name, when’s Don Quijote coming and where is our labor coming from For those of you that have in that mar- wave goodbye to a regular source better into a headline than the pangs of nostalgia for the politi- ket for the of labor for our islands. Apparently alternative. cally incorrect jokes of the late Al greater good nobody thought to pick up the And recently there have been Ysrael — which he would mail out is clearly an phone or shoot an email out to plenty of opportunities for media to his contact list — help is at hand. undeniable warn our governments on the lat- organizations to use the two words: Sign up for the Manta Ray Bay focus for est blow to our economy. that the U.S. government shut- Resort newsletters and look for many of our We are indeed the “red-head- down would affect their issuance, what the newsletter features as its readers (and ed step-child” of the American that the Trump administration “Parting Shot” item — yes, jokes. me). … Family. … was considering restricting the As to the content, Al could not do program to a food box alternative better (or worse). … If there is PLAIN If the governor is half as effec- and that the U.K. was considering a second is- ENGLISH tive at bettering our labor situation introducing them (as opposed to Thank you to everybody who sue besides as she hopes to be, she’ll contin- cash payments) and handing their contacted us about the story of the retail addi- Maureen N. Maratita ue to get standing ovations at the administration to local govern- entry of the Don Quijote chain to tions that has Guam Chamber. … ments. … the Guam market (or stopped me preoccupied at an event to ask “when.”) We’ll our government, businesses and It is virtually impossible to rid I could not find a better alter- certainly be bringing you more its executives in recent days — and a term from the common English native to “food stamps” or “SNAP,” Don Quijote news as soon as we had them howling, it is the with- language once it has taken hold. though maybe “red stamps” would can. drawal of the Philippines from the More than ten years after the be cheerier. … The Don Quijote name is appar- non-immigrant worker program. U.S. Department of Agriculture ently familiar to a number of our That affects not only our con- declared that the food stamp — Maureen N. Maratita is the publisher at readers that travel to Hawaii and struction industry, but has a program was to be known as Glimpses Media. Publications at Glimpses Media Japan — and shop while they are trickle-down effect on all of us. … the Supplemental Nutrition include the Marianas Business Journal, MBJ Life, in those destinations. Assistance Program, the term The Real Estate Journal, Guam Business Magazine, There is also nothing like a new The federal government is such “food stamps” is alive and well Beach Road Magazine, Buenas and Drive Guam. entry — and a famous name at a mammoth and also so divided — sometimes with SNAP in full, that — to get people musing about into departments that our govern- followed by “formerly known as what else they would like to see ments in the Marianas received the Food Stamp Program.” … on-island. … the news at the same time as the rest of us — through an entry in the Part of the reason can be laid at Retail therapy and investment Federal Register that said we can our door. “Food stamps” fits much INTRODUCING AN ALL-NEW LUNCH Choose a featured A la carte Selection: LEMON-THYME FREE-RANGE CHICKEN BREAST KUROBUTA PORK BELLY PENNE PASTA THAI BEEF RED CURRY ROASTED ATLANTIC SALMON GRILLED VEGETABLES & POLENTA And get unlimited trips to Soup, Salad & Appetizer Buffet SOUPS, BREADS, SALAD, SUSHI CHEESES/CHARCUTERIE, PASTRIES & DESSERTS AVAILABLE EVERY MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 11:30am - 2:00pm Starts at $25*Adult | $12* Child (6-11 yrs) for Soup, Salad & Appetizer Buffet Main course offerings add $12* BECOME A DUSIT GOLD MEMBER AND ENJOY 20% OFF! For reservations, please call 648-8000 or email [email protected] *All prices are subject to a customary 10% service charge. Marianas Business Journal www.mbjguam.com February 4, 2019 - February 17, 2019 3 Palauan Cultural Center nearly completed BY JOHN I. BORJA states of Palau. The clubs raised Journal staff money to contribute to the center, but the association also received financial support from the Palau After more government and other civic organ- than 20 years izations on Guam. of not having There are currently two abai, an established also in Dededo, that are large- of Palau courtesyPhoto of the government center for ly used for social gatherings its meet- and meeting places. The abai ings, events are owned by the Peleliu Club and activi- of Guam and the Asahi Club of ties, the Palau Guam, which comprises three Community state clubs. Though these abai are Association of generally used by fellow Palauans Guam is set to April and Chamorros, April said the open its brand- Palauan association felt the need new Palauan Cultural Center this SEE CENTER ON PAGE 7 A rendering of the Palauan Cultural Center in Dededo was displayed during a groundbreaking summer. ceremony in July 2017. The association, with support from the Palau government, broke ground on the Lada, Dededo devel- opment in July 2017. The center’s main construction is expected to be finished in April and interior work and aesthetic touches will Catherine San Nicolas carry on until June. POSITION: Customer Service Representative “The initial plan for the center was almost half a million dollars,” LOCATION: Asan, Guam said Victoriano April, Palau con- DATE HIRED: June 14, 2010 sul general and board member of NOTES: Strong customer relationship builder.

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