GGRAsia – Nagasaki says IR partner to be selected in autumn 2020

Nagasaki says IR partner to be selected in autumn 2020

Dec 05, 2019 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck

The Nagasaki authorities announced on Wednesday a schedule for a request-for-proposal (RFP) process for a casino resort in the Japanese prefecture. The schedule put forward by the governor of Nagasaki mentions a desire to choose a private-sector partner for such a project in “autumn 2020”.

In a speech at the Nagasaki prefectural assembly, the governor of Nagasaki Hodo Nakamura said his government planned to set out the prefecture’s implementation policy for a casino resort by March next year. That would be followed by an RFP process in spring, and the selection of a casino operator by autumn, said Mr Nakamura.

Japanese communities wishing to host an integrated resort or “IR” – as large-scale casino complexes with hotels, shops and conference space are known in that country – must first find private-sector partners and then make a bid to the national government, seeking selection. Three IRs are to be allowed in the country as part of a first wave of casino liberalisation.

According to a proposal disclosed last month by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the national government would not start accepting for consideration local authorities’ proposals for integrated resorts until January 2021. The proposed closing date for such submissions would be July 30, 2021.

The Nagasaki authorities recently told GGRAsia that a total of four entities had confirmed participation in the prefecture’s request-for-concept process regarding a possible casino resort scheme on land at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park (pictured) in Sasebo city. Sasebo city is part of the prefecture’s administrative area.

The Nagasaki officials said three entities – Japanese firm Current Corp; gaming operator Casinos Austria International Japan Inc; and Oshidori International Development Ltd – were willing to have their names disclosed in relation to the RFC phase, while a fourth presently preferred not to.