Casinos Austria signs IR agreement with Nagasaki in Japan

Japan’s Nagasaki Prefecture Government on Monday announced it has signed a master agreement with Casinos Austria International Japan (CAIJ) to develop an Integrated Resort (IR), named Kyushu-Nagasaki.

Nagasaki Governor Hodo Nakamura, commented: “Nagasaki Prefecture has entered into a master agreement with Casinos Austria International Japan to develop and operate the Kyushu-Nagasaki IR. The operator’s business proposal is backed by a business track record in Europe and other international markets and aims to realize a traditional and luxurious integrated resort of the world’s highest standard in harmony with the landscape of Huis Ten Bosch. We will now proceed with the area development plan to be submitted for approval before April 28 of next year.”

Casinos Austria said that the ¥350 billion (US$3.2 billion) project will feature a casino that would cover about 3% of the total area and would include 2,200 slot machines and 220 table games. It will be developed alongside the Dutch-themed Huis Ten Bosch park and will feature eight hotels, conference and exhibition centers as well as entertainment complexes. It is estimated that the number of annual visitors should reach 8.4 million.

Nakamura added: “We will work to realize the Kyushu-Nagasaki IR with the highest regard for strict measures to mitigate public concerns such as gambling addiction. The Kyushu-Nagasaki IR will vitalize the local economy and tourism industry affected by Covid, and also contribute to the development of the Kyushu region and furthermore our country,” reports Akihabara News.

The decision to quickly sign the agreement with Casinos Austria, however, does not sit well with the two rival consortiums which have alleged improper behavior on the part of the prefectural government.