Officials in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture say they have not yet decided on whether to pursue an integrated resort (IR) bid.
The Japanese government approved legal casinos in late 2016, with the first of three IRs envisioned to open by the mid-2020s. Covid-19 ended those aspirations, and according to Inside Asian Gaming, lawmakers in Aichi are still debating if they should undertake such a development. In the past the prefecture in central Japan has expressed interest in an IR complex, but took no formal steps to enter the bidding process.
Even so, an official from the prefecture’s Regional Revitalization department told IAG, “We are still thinking about IR. One issue is that we have our hands full with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In December of last year, Governor Omura said he wanted to ask the operators about possibilities, but this was also put on hold for Covid.”
The central government will accept IR applications starting in October 2021. “The issue right now is not whether to apply or not,” the official said. “We are at the stage of considering whether or not such operations are even a possibility.”
One potential IR site was Chubu Centrair international Airport and the surrounding 50 hectares (155 acres), which are owned by the prefecture. The goal was to develop international tourist city with a focus on meetings and conventions.
