The gambling industry is anxiously awaiting some serious progress in Japan’s integrated resort (IR) industry, but patience is proving to be a necessary virtue. While the government continues working behind the scenes to put all the pieces together, those on the front lines are pushing forward and continue to develop their plans for what everyone expects to be a multibillion-dollar market once it’s all up and running.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment has its sights set on Yokohama and is going to make this more pronounced next month. It has said that it will open an office there in November after it signed an agreement for a prime real estate office at Ocean Gate Minato Mirai. Located in a picturesque spot overlooking Tokyo Bay, the office is close to where Melco hopes to be able to build its IR in Yamashito Wharf in conjunction with the local government.
Melco had previously looked at Osaka as a possible destination before deciding that Yokohama was a better fit. It launched its “Yokohama First” campaign and the company’s CEO, Lawrence Ho, said last month, “Our team is well-positioned to contribute to Yokohama’s future and to support the community in its ambition to become a global tourism destination. This is a commitment to the city, our partners and the community there.”
At the northern end of Japan’s territory, Hokkaido could become the home for an IR created by Rush Street Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of U.S.-based gaming operator Rush Street Gaming. The company has already selected two architecture and design firms to help bring its IR vision to life, choosing architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and design firm Takano Landscape Planning (TLP) to lead the way. TLP is a company that specializes in landscape architecture and design and which has been involved, like SOM, in numerous hotel projects around the country and elsewhere. Especially poignant is SOM’s involvement in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and One World Trade Center in New York.
Rush Street says of the appointments, “By selecting these design firms known for their commitment to innovation and sustainability, we’re another step closer to achieving our ambition of creating a thoughtful destination that will deliver a lasting positive impact on the local community in Hokkaido.”
Traveling back down south, Wakayama is ready to go as soon as Japan gives the word. On the last day of its monthly prefectural Assembly meeting in September, the local government approved a measure to actively promote the area for one of the three IRs that Japan is going to initially allow. If everything goes well, Marina City will host the IR and will see Bloomberry Resorts, Suncity Group and Barriere as casino partners.
