The government of Osaka, Japan briefly reopened its RFP process for an integrated resort with gaming in the prefecture, but lured no new bidders. The partnership of MGM Resorts and Orix Corp. remains the sole bidding entity.
Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui told reporters. “MGM has expressed its intention to continue the Osaka IR, even though it is extremely difficult to manage. We are able to respond in good faith as a partner.”
According to Asia Gaming Brief, the government foiled its own plan to introduce competition to the process by setting an application window that was much too short, from March 19 to April 6.
Meaningfully, MGM staked its claim in Osaka several years ago, and often touted its “Osaka first” policy. That long-term commitment may have discouraged other developers from challenging the U.S. operator and its partner, a Japanese financial services firm. Osaka will request additional documents from the MGM-Orix consortium in July, and is expected to officially name it as its IR partner around September.
An official from the Osaka IR Promotion Office said, “We have built a good relationship [with MGM and Orix]. We would like to continue the conversations and form a solid development plan.”
The prefectural government also has relaxed the initial requirements for meetings and conference space and hotel rooms, with the IR operator allowed to expand gradually, according to GGRAsia.
Osaka expects to be asked to submit its IR development plan to Japan’s national government next April; if chosen to host an IR, the Osaka project would likely open “in the latter half” of this decade.
