{"id":162743,"date":"2021-01-28T10:56:39","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T18:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=162743"},"modified":"2021-07-19T01:32:28","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T08:32:28","slug":"mohegan-gaming-announces-japan-integrated-resort-bid-in-nagasaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/mohegan-gaming-announces-japan-integrated-resort-bid-in-nagasaki\/","title":{"rendered":"Mohegan Gaming Announces Japan Integrated Resort Bid in Nagasaki"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) has revealed its intentions to bid for an integrated resort casino license in Nagasaki, Japan.<\/p>\n

\"Mohegan
Mohegan Gaming CEO Mario Kontomerkos (insert) has his eyes set on Nagasaki. The Japanese city hopes to obtain one of the country’s three integrated resort licenses. (Image: Shutterstock\/Casino.org<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The casino group owned by the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut is partnering with Oshidori International Development GK, a Japanese company that was established for the primary purpose of building an integrated resort (IR). The development entity is a subsidiary of Oshidori International Holdings, a financial services firm based in China and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.<\/p>\n

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Nagasaki is one of four cities that has publicly expressed its intentions to seek one of Japan’s three forthcoming IR permits. Osaka, Yokohama, and Wakayama are the other three contenders. Tokyo is also mulling an entry but has yet to confirm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Nagasaki prefecture announced the commencement of its request-for-proposal period<\/a> on January 7. Nagasaki officials say they will select a winning casino proposal in August of this year.<\/p>\n

MGE originally was targeting Hokkaido until the prefecture bowed out.<\/p>\n

Tribe Focused on Asia<\/b><\/h2>\n

It’s been many years since the Mohegan Tribe simply operated its namesake Mohegan Sun casino resort in Connecticut. Today, MGE operates casinos in five states, plus Canada.<\/p>\n

The casino operator is now taking its gaming business overseas by way of South Korea. Mohegan is spending $1.6 billion on phase one of its “Inspire” IR, located at Incheon International Airport. The resort is slated to open in 2022.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Japan, MGE’s consortium with Oshidori is targeting Sasebo City in Nagasaki.<\/p>\n

“Oshidori and MGE not only aim to collaborate in developing a world-class integrated resort but also in creating a dynamic community for Nagasaki to become a premium travel destination and a premier residential choice,” a release announcing the partnership explained.<\/p>\n

Mario Kontomerkos, CEO of Mohegan Gaming, says Japan fits nicely with the company’s expansion in Asia.<\/p>\n

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Our growth strategy took into consideration the significant cross marketing opportunity between Project Inspire in Korea and Kyushu, Japan,”<\/strong> Kontomerkos said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Nagasaki prefecture is located on Kyushu island. It is the third-largest of Japan’s five main islands.<\/p>\n

Along with South Korea and its ploy for Japan, MGE last year was awarded the lone IR casino license in Athens, Greece.<\/p>\n

Nagasaki Small Fish in Big Pool<\/b><\/h2>\n

Japan legalizing three commercial casino developments has some rather large cities in the running. In fact, if Tokyo does opt-in, the country’s three largest cities — Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka — would all be seeking one of the three gaming concessions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

City — Population<\/strong><\/p>\n