Casino operator Imperial Pacific International Holdings (IPI) says its permanent Saipan gaming venue will have a “soft opening” on March 31, although gaming regulators aren’t entirely convinced.

On Thursday, IPI execs met with members of Saipan’s House Committee on Gaming and the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) to update them on the company’s progress on its permanent resort casino, the Imperial Pacific Resort Hotel Saipan. CCC members toured the construction site earlier this week and came away “very impressed.”

The Marianas Variety quoted IPI senior VP of operations Donnie Browne saying construction on the ground floor of the building that will house the new casino is 47% complete and that the casino would ‘soft open’ on March 31, while the adjoining hotel would follow in August.

IPI currently operates a temporary (and phenomenally successful) casino, Best Sunshine Live, out of the T-Galleria shopping mall. The property’s lease expires in April, leaving little wiggle room if IPI’s construction schedule hits a snag.