The Japanese Prefecture of Nagasaki has approved all five private groups that submitted documents in response to its request-for-proposal (RFP) as part of its efforts to get an integrated casino resort running. An official from the Prefecture confirmed to the news outlet GGRAsia all five commercial groups have qualified for participation in the first phase of the selection.
All five entities have passed the initial document-screening process and will proceed to the next round of the evaluation process. The Nagasaki division for promotion of integrated casino resorts (IR) also revealed the names of the five qualified entities that gained its approval for the next phase. These include the Japanese outfit of Casinos Austria International, the Oshidori Consortium, Current Group, One Kyushu, and NIKI Chyau Fwu (Parkview) Group.
Documents were accepted from the candidates for screening until March 1. The five approved contenders submitted theirs toward the end of January 2021. The Nagasaki governor Mr. Hudo Nakamura disclosed at the time the private entities were drawn from the USA, Asia, and Europe.
Three Candidates Will Advance to the Second Round in Mid-March
The prefectural authorities will now proceed with the further evaluation of the groups before they name the three candidates that will advance to the second round in mid-March. The second phase of evaluation would involve a “competitive dialog” with the contenders, along with reviews assessing their integrity.
The final proposals of each candidate will also undergo examination during this stage. The candidates will give project presentations in August before the prefectural authorities finally settle on a partner from the private sector. Once it reaches a final decision, the Nagasaki Prefecture will make moves before the Japanese government to gain permission for its integrated resort.
The prefectural division for promotion of integrated resorts has refused to discuss the candidates’ investment costs. This aims to preserve the integrity and fairness of the bidding procedure according to a local official. Oshidori International Holdings Limited, part of a consortium with Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, plans to invest between ¥400 billion and ¥500 billion if approved by the prefectural authorities.
Nagasaki Plans on Building Its IR in Sasebo
The local government plans to build a casino resort in Sasebo, the second-largest city in the Prefecture. The Nagasaki authorities and the City Council of Sasebo will come up with an official resolution of the local integrated resort project by the spring of 2022. Only then can they make an official submission to the Japanese government.
The national government will begin to accept submissions from the prefectural authorities at the beginning of October 2021, with the submission process closing toward the end of April 2022. According to the official timetable, the assessment process on a statewide level will occur during the fall and winter of 2022.
If Nagasaki’s IR project receives approval, the year 2023 may see an implementation agreement between the prefectural authorities and their chosen operator so that the resort construction can commence. The current Japanese legislation requires prefectures to partner with private entities for the casino complex projects, known as integrated resorts in the country. At the moment, the national government allows no more than three IRs in Japan.
