Casinos Austria, which was this week named as the preferred bidding partner for an IR in Nagasaki, has outlined its plans, which include 2,200 slot machines and 220 table games.
The resort will be developed alongside the Dutch-themed Huis Ten Bosch park and will feature eight hotels, conference and exhibition centres and entertainment complexes.
It named one of its partners as Hyatt Hotel Group and said there will also be Japanese partners involved in the project.
“By passing this milestone in the award process in Japan, Casinos Austria International has once again demonstrated the kind of excellent reputation that the company enjoys abroad,” said Casinos Austria’s CEO Bettina Glatz-Kremsner. “After years of restructuring, CAI is back on track. Its know-how and expertise in the development and operation of such complex projects continue to be impressive.”
“I wish Casinos Austria International, under Christoph Zurucker-Burda’s management, all the best and that they will be awarded one of the three licences next year, together with the Nagasaki Prefecture.”
The bid will now be put forward to the central government that will choose the three locations for the IR licenses. There are currently four cities in the bidding, with Osaka, Yokohama and Wakayama, joining Nagasaki.
Osaka has chosen to partner with a consortium involving MGM Resorts and Orix Corp., while Wakayama has chosen Clairvest. There is a question mark over whether Yokohama will push forward with its bid due to a strong anti-casino movement. The issue is likely to be determined by the outcome of mayoral elections on August 22.
If the city does press ahead with its plans, it will need to choose between Genting Singapore and Melco Resorts & Entertainment.
In Nagasaki, Casinos Austria got the edge over a consortium between Mohegan Sun and Oshidori Corp. and a group of companies going under the name of Parkview Group.
In a surprise move, Oshidori announced it was pulling out just days before the winner was declared.
