Casinos Austria International Japan (CAIJ) released a summary for its proposed Kyushu/Nagasaki IR to be located at Sasebo city’s Huis Ten Bosch on Friday 1 October.
The proposal claims a number of strengths of Casinos Austria International – the parent firm of CAIJ that is one-third owned by the Austrian government – including know-how in casino operations due to the current operation of 25 casinos worldwide, the strict scrutiny it is subject to as a government-owned corporation and its connections to top music assemblies such as the Vienna Boys’ Choir and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, as well as connections with historical art collections.
“We will construct an IR appealing to all with CAI’s full support and safety and security as the top priorities,” management said.
“We will come together with Nagasaki prefecture and Kyushu’s corporations to create an area development plan in order to gain approval for Kyushu/Nagasaki as an IR area.”
The company vows to, “strive to achieve the highest level of business operations in the world, focusing first and foremost on ensuring thorough compliance and exclusion of all harmful influences, allowing absolutely no unlawfulness, bribery or corruption,” quoting credibility and sustainability as the most important aspects in achieving a Kyushu/Nagasaki IR.
Regarding considerations for problem gambling, maintaining safety, disaster prevention, disease control and healthy youth development the proposal states, “We aim to achieve world class standards to counter these major concerns.”
It also broadly states, “In cooperation with Kyushu/Nagasaki companies, we aim to build a world-class IR with a traditional sense of luxury that will lead to a wave of economic effects throughout all of Kyushu.”
Based on their concept, CAIJ expects that, if approved, a Nagasaki IR will cost JPY 350 billion (US$3.2 billion) and draw up to 8.4 million annual visitors, leading to the creation of 30,000 jobs and creating an economic ripple effect of approximately JPY 320 billion (US$2.9 billion).
The proposal focuses on multiple indoor facilities using modern Japan as the base concept, a European style casino designed in the Austrian style as a “grown-up social meeting place” and a luxurious foreign-run hotel as selling points. CAIJ also points out, “We promote attracting customers and long stays based on a wide range of highly appealing attractions and data.”
Nagasaki and CAIJ are now working together for national certification through the application process, which started on Friday and will continue to April 2022.