The prefecture of Nagasaki has released the regional development plan’s draft for the planned integrated casino resort in Sasebo City that is scheduled to be presented to the National Government by April 28th, 2022.
The draft was prepared in collaboration between Casinos Austria International Japan (CAIJ), a local subsidiary of Casino Austria that has been selected as the developer and operator of the planned integrated casino resort, and the Nagasaki Prefecture.
The area that is set to host the integrated casino resort project has been increased to a total of 320,000 sq.m. The resort’s floor area is set to cover approximately 550,000 sq.m. According to reports, the overall development costs are expected to amount to about ¥350 billion (a little over $3 billion). For the time being, it remains unknown what source of funding the CAIJ project will use, especially considering the fact that the scope of the financial scope of the integrated casino resort is considerably bigger than any other that had been previously taken on by the company so far.
The planned integrated casino resort will hopefully attract about 8.4 million visitors on an annual basis. Preliminary reports say that Kyushu will see a gradual economic effect worth ¥320 billion (or about $2.82 billion) as a result of the project’s development. The local subsidiary of Casinos Austria which was selected to establish and operate the integrated casino resort in the Nagasaki Prefecture projected that the project will create approximately 10,000 jobs to generate combined annual tax and entrance fee revenue of about ¥30 billion.
Casinos Austria’s Source of Funding for the Integrated Casino Project Remains Unknown
According to the recently unveiled plans, the property will include more than 2,000 guest rooms under the “New Fusion” concept, offering luxurious accommodation features. Reportedly, the 5-star Hotel Sachar plans to take part in the project. The draft of the regional development plan says that the establishment of a cable car to connect the integrated casino resort and the JR Huis Ten Bosch station is being considered. As part of the plan, Casinos Austria is set to cover infrastructure costs of ¥14.7 billion.
On the other hand, the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) facility is set to feature a unique design, and when competed, CAIJ and its parent company are set to promote the facility and various events in it both in Japan and in foreign countries.
The gambling area is planned to be situated at the rear side of the integrated casino resort. The casino venue will feature 3 floors depending on the type of customers, and Casinos Austria is set to implement special anti-gambling addiction measures in place, such as limits on time patrons spend in the casino, betting limits, banning ATMs in the gambling vicinity, etc.
Now, CAIJ and the Nagasaki Prefecture are set to perfect the draft. They are willing to present it to the Prefectural Assembly in March 2022. Specialized information on the project, such as the names of the companies responsible for the main management body’s structure, has not yet been provided to the public.
The selection process for the commercial partner of the Nagasaki Prefecture to establish the integrated casino resort was tough, with two of the rivals – NIKI Chyau Fwu Group (Parkview) and Oshidori International Development – both making controversial claims that the local authorities imposed pressure on them to make them leave the competition.
