GGRAsia – Nagasaki wants names of firms involved in IR by Dec-end

Nagasaki wants names of firms involved in IR by Dec-end

Dec 20, 2021 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck

The Nagasaki prefectural government has asked Casinos Austria International Japan Inc, its chosen private-sector partner for a casino resort proposal, to submit by the end of December the names of all companies to be involved in the project. The information should include any companies that have expressed interest in an equity investment in the scheme, as well as the identity of the firms engaged as service providers.

The information was given last week, at a meeting of the Nagasaki prefectural assembly’s Integrated Resort (IR) committee, according to GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent. The meeting was to discuss the prefecture’s draft District Development Plan for a casino resort in that Japanese conurbation (pictured).

Casinos Austria has until the end of next month to present the financing plan and form an effective consortium for its JPY350-billion (US$3.09-billion) proposed scheme, according to the timetable mentioned in last week’s meeting. Some members of the Nagasaki prefectural assembly have recently voiced concerns regarding the ability of the chosen private-sector partner to raise the necessary funds.

A public consultation on Nagasaki’s draft District Development Plan for a casino resort will only happen in February. It was previously scheduled for the beginning of January.

A prefectural assembly vote on the plan is now due in March.

The IR committee session also saw assembly members posing a number of questions to the prefectural government, including on the impact of design changes to the resort concept.

The Japanese national government opened on October 1 the application period for local authorities to pitch as host for a casino resort, and announced the weighting it will give when scoring such requests. The closing date for applications is April 28, 2022.

Up to three casino complexes will be permitted in Japan, under liberalisation plans.