$1M Makeover Breaks Ground Across Saipan’s Iconic Marpi Sites

Overlooking the scenic northern coastline, Commonwealth leaders, agency partners, and community members gathered at the Bird Island Lookout parking lot for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Marpi Tourist Sites Improvement Project on September 3. The initiative marks a major overhaul across three of Saipan’s most iconic northern landmarks: Bird Island Lookout, the Last Command Post, and Suicide Cliff.

Funded through a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration under the ARPA State Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Grant program, the project addresses long-needed upgrades in visitor safety, accessibility, and cultural preservation.

For MVA Product Development Manager Raquel Aguon, who served as master of ceremonies, the event marked the culmination of multi-year planning:

 "When I started back in 2023, we were in the beginning stages of design. Now, three years later, we are finally breaking ground."
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The construction plans provide comprehensive structural overhauls tailored to the terrain of each historic location. At Bird Island Lookout, crews will rebuild the site with a newly elevated viewing platform, ADA- and code-compliant walkways and stairs, reinforced safety guardrails, and an expanded parking area. Down the hill at the historic Last Command Post, visitors will soon have access to an ADA-compliant public restroom facility supported by a dedicated double-lined septic system. Further uphill at Suicide Cliff, the contractor will construct accessible ramps, upgraded viewing platforms, perimeter guardrails, and modernized parking accommodations to make the historic cliff line accessible to all travelers.


​Marianas Visitors Authority Acting Managing Director Judy C. Torres highlighted how physical investments connect directly to the destination’s identity, noting that the groundbreaking follows South Korean consumers naming the Marianas "Global Travel Brand of the Year" at the 2026 Brand of the Year Awards.

 "Being far from ordinary is not only about what we have—it is about how we care for these places and how we present them to those who come to experience them," Torres told attendees. She stressed that site upgrades must be part of a broader standard of hospitality: "From the moment a visitor steps off the plane until they return home, we should continue asking ourselves, what can we do to make their experience in the Marianas memorable? What can we do to create that kind of experience that they will talk about and share with others long after they leave?"
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Governor David M. Apatang commended the interagency persistence required to secure and retain federal dollars, noting the urgency of moving designs forward before grant deadlines expired. 

"We didn't want to return any money back to the federal government," Governor Apatang remarked. "It's hard enough to get them here, so whenever we can, we need to push forward." Turning to general contractor PKM Construction and General Manager Stacey Wang, the Governor challenged the crew to beat the estimated one-year timeline: "I love groundbreaking, I love ribbon-cutting, if you work fast enough, hopefully you can do faster than next year." 

The governor also reminded the public that community stewardship is vital: "These improvement projects do not end when the construction work is done. The work must continue in making sure maintenance is consistently done and that everyone is responsible for keeping these places well-kept, clean, and report to the authorities anything that has been vandalized or damaged."
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Alongside the physical construction, local leaders emphasized that guest safety and long-term upkeep must remain high priorities. Saipan Mayor Ramon "RB" Camacho in an interview urged public agencies and businesses to pair site upgrades with active crime deterrence, pointing to recurring vehicle break-ins targeting international visitors. 

"Whatever we do to upgrade the site, build new facilities, with a lot of vandalism, I think what we need also to focus on is crime prevention," Mayor Camacho said. "A lot of Japanese tourists are being victims of crime—those valuable stuff in their purse, in the vehicle. We need to focus on this, because we need to promote a safe community, safe village, and a clean island."
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Echoing the commitment to post-construction upkeep, in an interview with CNMI Division of Parks and Recreation Director, Mike Cruz underscored the critical balance between promoting tourism and maintaining local assets. 

"We need to improve our destination and we need some tourists to come in, but we need to take care of what we have here first before we start inviting people in," Cruz explained, praising the cooperative relationship between his division and the MVA. While acknowledging operational constraints, Cruz emphasized that daily stewardship would continue once the facilities are turned over upon completion. "We maintain the tourist sites. We are short-staffed, but we try to do what we can to make sure that we take care of our areas where our local people visit, like the beaches, the parks, and then including this area. It's a lot of work, but we'll get it done. We cannot do it ourselves... we need to help each other out, because that's why we're here, for our community."


​MVA Board Chairman Warren Villagomez brought the morning ceremony to a close by acknowledging E&A Architecture, the Office of Planning and Development, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Lands, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Division of Coastal Resources Management.

Villagomez also paid tribute to the late Governor Arnold I. Palacios, whose administration helped initiate the grant proposal. "This project demonstrates what we can accomplish when government agencies, businesses, and the community work together towards a common purpose," Villagomez stated. "By continuing to invest in our visitor sites and the experience we offer, we can strengthen tourism recovery and build a Marianas that remains truly far from ordinary."