Operatörsnyheter
Japan – Wakayama sets its sights on casino unveiling in 2026
By phil - 11 januari 2021
Asian junket investor Suncity Group and Canada-based Clairvest, the only two companies that have lodged proposals to develop a casino in Wakayama, located east of Osaka, have been told their IR would need to generate ‘significant economic and employment effects’ and ‘attract customers from within Japan in order to further develop the prefecture.’
It will make a decision on the chosen operator/developer in the spring and will apply for regional certification by April next year, with the aim of unveiling an IR property in 2026.
Wakayama wants to develop a casino on the artificial island of Marina City in Kemi, Wakayama City, with the operating licence lasting for 40 years. The project’s a focus must be on sports and well being, taking advantage of the waterfront location, hot springs, food culture and other local resources Wakayama famous for. It should offer exhibition and conference facilities with at least 100,000 square meters of hotels and a casino making up no more than three per cent of the project’s footprint.
Suncity has said it would spend between HK$30bn and HK$35bn (US$3.8bn to US$4.5bn) on an Integrated Resort in its Wakayama, in the Kansai region, on Honshū island’s Kii
Suncitys vd Alvin Chau sa att visionen var ett "unikt projekt som kombinerar Wakayama Prefectures historiska tradition, naturliga landskap och kulturella väsen."
Kontoret hade tidigare sagt att över 20 internationella IR-operatörer från Nordamerika, Europa och Asien hade uttryckt sitt intresse med ett IR-forum som väckte intresse från operativa grupper inklusive Solaire, Lucien Barriere, Mohegan Gaming, Bloomberry Resorts och Galaxy Entertainment. Regeringen vill att dess IR ska ha ett hotell med 2,500 40 rum med ett kongresscenter och utställningshall. Marina City ligger cirka 70 minuters bilresa från Kansai International Airport och XNUMX minuters bilresa från Osaka. Dess infrastruktur är redan väl utvecklad med många hotell och en nöjespark baserad på medeltida europeiska stadsbilder.
