Atkins Kroll Saipan officially broke ground on its Atkins Kroll Toyota Lexus Showroom and Service Center on Friday. It's a $23 million investment for a new 43,800 square feet facility - the first of its kind on Saipan.

"This also comes with ability to provide more jobs and job opportunities for the community. We will be bringing in new highly skilled and trained technicians, sales associates, as well as senior management positions with the new Lexus dealership," explained Alex Hammett, managing director, South Asia/Pacific for AK.

"We are thankful for your continued commitment to our community and to our economy," added CNMI Governor Arnold Palacios.

The project is expected to be completed by Fall 2024. The contractor is GPPC, Inc. and the project is managed by Ari Partners, which is also the architect.

Ak has done business in Saipan for 56 years. In response to some concerns about the project from nearby residents, Hammett says they are looking after the community's health and safety and protecting the environment by complying with local regulations.