Wakayama: anti-IR group to demand referendum
An anti-IR group claims it has collected enough signatures to demand a referendum on the development of an integrated resort in Wakayama.
Japan.- Campaigners in Wakayama says that have collected more than 8,000 signatures to a petition calling for a referendum of the city integrated resort plans. That’s more than the 2 per cent of voters required to submit a referendum motion request.
The anti-IR group began collecting signatures and hopes to force a referendum that would allow voters to choose whether or not to support proposals for an integrated resort in Wakayama. It hopes to reach 20,000 signatures by December 5.
The group’s main objection to IR is the uncertainty around the nature of Clairvest Neem Ventures’ consortium, the selected partner for the planned integrated resort.
The Wakayama Prefectural Government hopes to open an integrated resort by 2026. It must submit its area development plan to the national government for approval by April 28, 2022. However, the first of 14 public hearing sessions, which had been scheduled for November 25, has been postponed until February as information on funding and the structure of the winning consortium is still pending.
Clairvest Neem Ventures Co Ltd is Wakayama’s IR partner, and it has an agreement with Caesars Entertainment. However, prefecture and Clairvest have been unable to provide specific details about financing and the individuals involved in the operation.
