Nagasaki prefecture in Japan told GGRAsia on Friday that it had – by the time of a deadline that day – received a total of three submissions under its request-for-concept (RFC) process regarding a possible casino resort in the prefecture’s Sasebo city (pictured) at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park site.
The prefectural government’s spokesperson did not identify to us the three suitor organisations.
In December, Nagasaki governor Hodo Nakamura said his administration planned by March this year to have ready its local implementation policy regarding the community’s tilt at getting an integrated resort or “IR”; as large-scale casino complexes with supporting hotels, shops, entertainment and other amenities are known in Japan.
That would be followed by a request-for-proposal (RFP) process later in the spring, and the selection of a casino operator by the autumn, Mr Nakamura had said. GGRAsia understands that timetable is still in place.
In late December, Nagasaki prefecture indicated in a draft IR basic concept and IR implementation policy document it published then, that it was looking for an IR investment to a maximum of about JPY550 billion (US$5 billion).
Three companies had already publicly-confirmed their participation in Nagasaki’s RFC phase. They were: Oshidori International Holdings Ltd, a Hong Kong-listed investment holding firm; Japan’s Current Corp; and Casinos Austria International Holding GmbH.
Other companies would still have the option of taking part in Nagasaki’s RFP phase, according to the local authorities.
