Nagasaki Prefecture has selected Austrian International Casinos to oversee the prefecture’s integrated resort, a key moment in Japan’s casino regulation.
The operator has been chosen as the “preferred negotiation rights holder,” meaning they will have precedence in discussing the terms of the resort’s construction with the prefectural government.
The resort is planned to be built on the grounds of the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo City.
The resort will be part of Japan’s IR project, which was approved by the government in July 2018, with the goal of boosting tourism through locations with numerous commercial and cultural attractions.
The law states that the gambling zone of the resort cannot exceed 3% of its total area, and local residents will be required to pay an entrance fee.
Initially, five companies put themselves forward, all of whom were asked to submit preliminary questionnaires.
However, in March, this was reduced to three finalists – Austrian International Casinos, Niki Chyau Fwu Group, and Oshidori International Development, which has partnered with the American Mohegan Sun.
The past week saw Oshidori step back from the competition, leaving only Austrian Casinos International and the Niki Chyau Fwu Group – a collaboration between Japanese property developer Niki Group and Taiwanese construction firm Chyau Fwu Group.
Oshidori stated its dissatisfaction with the development and operational guidelines established by the county administration, asserting that the bidding process lacked transparency and impartiality.
The company further declared in a statement that it had encountered “numerous instances of alleged unethical conduct” throughout the bidding process. It emphasized its commitment to participating solely in a transparent and professional selection procedure.
Despite Oshidori’s withdrawal, it was still chosen as the “runner-up” bidder in the event that Austrian Casinos International was unable to complete the construction and operation of the resort.
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