MGM Resorts will strive to make Osaka the “MICE capital of Asia” should it win a license to develop an IR, according to Chairman and CEO Jim Murren.
MICE facilities must be able to accommodate massive exhibitions and meeting space and Murren promised that MGM’s facility will be the largest in Japan, indicating it would exceed INTEX Osaka (approximately 70,000 square meters), which hosted the G20 meeting this past June, and Tokyo BIG Site (approximately 95,000 square meters) in an interview with Sankei Shimbun.
MGM’s MICE vision also surpasses the facilities of both Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and the Venetian Macao.
MGM is already preparing its pitch to hold international conferences and business events from the time the IR’s doors open, which is tentatively scheduled for the mid-2020s.Murren also expressed interest in sporting events, mentioning the Washington Wizards, which recently drafted Rui Hachimura – the first-ever NBA first-round draft pick from Japan.
Fellow US operator Las Vegas Sands (LVS) also announced its policy to focus efforts on an Osaka IR bid in June. While Murren acknowledged LVS as a worthy opponent, he also expressed confidence, saying, “MGM has been laying groundwork in Osaka for a long time now.”
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