The IR Gaming Expo 2019 opened its doors at INTEX Osaka on Thursday as some of the world’s leading casino operators made their latest pitch to develop an integrated resort in Japan.
The expo, which runs over four days until Sunday, is being jointly held with Tourism EXPO Japan and hosted for the first time in Kansai. Over 130,000 visitors are expected to attend.
A total of seven operators are exhibiting at the event, namely Galaxy Entertainment Group, Genting Singapore, Las Vegas Sands, La Vogue Boutique Hotel & Casino, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Suncity Group and MGM Resorts International, the latter of which was the first to form an official consortium with a local partner when it linked with Orix in March.
Discussing the partnership on Thursday, Orix’s Toyonori Takahashi said, “We have found the best partner to revitalize Osaka. I am looking forward to a 35-year scrum,” a reference to the ongoing Rugby World Cup held in Japan.
“Our strength is cooperation with local communities and government. We want to work with a company that wants to revitalize Kansai.”
Also taking the stage were Las Vegas Sands and Melco Resorts, both of which recently bowed out of the race for an Osaka IR to focus their energies on Yokohama instead.
On that front, LVS Director of Global Development, George Tanasijevich, described Yokohama as “a big and attractive city. The candidate location is close to the city center and is 47 hectares which is a great size for an IR.”
Genting Singapore, one of three company’s planning to bid in Osaka alongside MGM and Galaxy, presented only a very brief company outline, maintaining its policy of refraining from any aggressive PR pitches in Japan.
