Yokohama City, one of Japan’s key metropolitan cities preparing to bid for an IR license, intends to add JPY 400 million to its initial budget plan this year for costs related to the IR venture.
According to local media reports, the JPY 400 million includes JPY 220 million for recruitment, selection of an operator and an area improvement plan, JPY 95 million in research expenses for transport infrastructure, JPY 55 million for public relations expenses such as resident briefings and JPY 10 million in research into problem gambling strategies.
From October to December last year, Yokohama City conducted an RFC from private businesses for IRs and received submissions from seven interested operators. Authorities are currently engaged in discussion with the operators through March 2020 after which the operator selection process will begin in earnest.
The city claims that RFC proposals will not impact the operator selection schedule for the spring of 2020.
In the wake of Representative Tsukasa Akimoto’s arrest in an IR-related scandal, Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi said, “Yokohama city is treating operators fairly and we will continue to proceed with fairness and neutrality in realizing an IR.”
