The Japanese city of Yokohama (pictured in a file photo) announced on Monday that two groups had qualified for its request-for-proposal (RFP) process concerning Yokohama’s search for a commercial partner for a casino resort. The local authorities did not name the accepted parties, but Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that one of the groups was led by Genting Singapore Ltd, while the other was headed by Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd.
NHK said it got the information on the qualified groups from an unnamed related party.
From June 1 to June 11, the Yokohama authorities will have a window for receiving the actual RFP submissions from the qualified candidates, with the aim of choosing a single suitor this summer.
Genting Singapore is the operator of the Resorts World Sentosa casino complex in Singapore. The firm, a subsidiary of Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd, will have as its partner for its Yokohama submission Japan-based entertainment and gaming conglomerate Sega Sammy Holdings Inc, according to NHK.
Genting Singapore and Sega Sammy named Japanese construction company Kajima Corp as the main contractor for its project, should the partnership be selected by the Yokohama authorities, added the report.
Global casino operator Melco Resorts is submitting its proposal on a solo basis, said NHK. It added that the company – with operations in Macau, the Philippines and Cyprus – had Taisei Corp as the main contractor for its proposal.
According to information previously collated by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent, Sega Sammy Holdings had said it planned to be a minority investor in any Yokohama project, with the aim of linking with an overseas operator as the majority investor. Sega Sammy is already a minority shareholder in casino resort Paradise City, located in Incheon, South Korea. The firm also owns a non-gaming resort in Japan.
Japanese group Shotoku Corp had previously been mentioned as a Yokohama suitor. The latter had been among five entities that took part in the city’s fresh request-for-concept stage, the metropolis confirmed on January 21.
Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd said last month it had decided “to not participate” in the “current” Yokohama RFP, factoring the global economic impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
