Yokohama IR draws international interest

International companies, along with other 4 domestic ones, submitted plans to the government’s RFI process.

Japan.- As the casino industry awaits to see what will happen with the segment in Japan, different regions in the archipelago continue to assess the perks of pushing for an integrated resort (IR) bid. That’s why Yokohama conducted a request for information (RFI) process, which had twelve companies submitting plans and information to the government before the deadline last Friday.

According to reports by local media, out of twelve companies that have shown interest in developing their own business in the area, eight are international IR operators, while two are domestic ones and the other two are other types of local companies. The Kanagawa Shinbun, a local newspaper, revealed that Caesars Entertainment, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts are among the interested developers.

Earlier this year, twenty two companies had registered to join the RFI process but ten of them lost interest in participating and didn’t submit documents before Friday’s deadline. Authorities are expected to compile their own report by March 2019 and then determine if they want to push for an IR bid.

Mayor Fumiko Hayashi had already stated that there’s nothing determined yet regarding a potential IR bid, but experts believe Yokohama to be among the main candidates for the casino industry to arrive in Japan, next to the Osaka, Nagasaki and Hokkaido areas. She also stands by her position on the matter, which was described as a “blank slate,” while the city remains divided on the construction of an integrated resort in the city.