Nagasaki Governor Hodo Nakamura has defended the prefecture’s IR operator selection process, stating the decision to name Casinos Austria as preferred partner was made separately from an integrity investigation that reportedly saw both rival candidates asked to withdraw.
Nakamura was asked about the evaluation process during a session of the Nagasaki Prefectural Assembly last week, to which he replied, “Nagasaki prefecture had to make evaluations and decisions regarding the results of the integrity survey before attending essential legal consultations. Thus we did not disclose the contents to the evaluation committee.”
Casinos Austria was ultimately selected to construct and operate an IR facility in Sasebo city after scoring 697.0 points under Nagasaki’s RFP scoring system, placing it ahead of Oshidori International Development in second with 682.8 points and NIKI Chyau (Parkview) Group in third with 667.1 points.
However, NIKI and Oshidori have both since claimed that the prefecture informed them of issues that arose from the integrity investigation and had asked them to withdraw prior to Casinos Austria being named. It is believed this is what had prompted questions at last week’s assembly.
Oshidori submitted two official requests for document disclosure to Governor Nakamura, on 13 August and 1 September, based on Nagasaki’s Prefecture Information Disclosure Law.
The initial request had asked for the disclosure of the integrity investigation report issued by the survey company hired by Nagasaki prefecture and the contents of advice given by advisors to Nagasaki prefecture.
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