The Nagasaki/Sasebo IR Promotion Council has launched its Request for Concept (RFC) for developing an integrated resort (IR) at Sasebo’s Huis Ten Bosch.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, RFC’s should include specific plans on business strategy, facility design, operations policy, sustainability and problem gambling countermeasures.
NagaCorp, Casinos Austria, Get Nice Holdings, Peermont Global and some Japanese companies have expressed an interest in Nagasaki.
The registration period for applicants runs from October 2 to November 22.
Budget for IR is between JPY320 bn and JPY550 bn
This comes after Nagasaki announced its Fundamental Plan Proposal for an IR bid. It also set the development budget at between JPY320 billion ($3bn) and JPY550 billion ($5.1bn).
According to Inside Asian Gaming, a Fundamental Plan will be drafted by March 2020.
The Fundamental Plan Proposal stipulates that the IR facility must include a 100,000 sqm hotel, an international conference hall with a capacity for at least 6,000 people, and a 20,000 sqm exhibition hall.
Nagasaki will choose an operator for the 31-hectare site by autumn 2020, with a goal to open in 2024.
In April, Huis Ten Bosch announced it had entered into an agreement to sell part of its land as a candidate site for the casino resort.
Nagasaki IR currently scheduled to open in 2024
The company will sell the land for facility construction if Nagasaki Prefecture succeeds in its IR bid.
Hotel Europe, Forest Villa and the harbour area of Huis Ten Bosch currently stand on the site for sale.
A maximum of three resorts will be allowed under the first phase of market liberalisation.
Images: Huis Ten Bosch
