Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAR 2020年3月 亞博匯 43 日本 MGM’sman inJapanEdBowershasbeen chipping away for years in his low-key, no-nonsense style and MGM deserves its current front runner status. 美高梅在日本的主將Ed Bowers多年來由於其 低調及實幹風格被低估，而美高梅則值得擁有現 時的大熱姿態。 operators have expressed misgivings in response to Osaka’s desire to have its IR open in time for its hosting of the World Expo from May to November 2025. It’s been a very long Japan journey already for MGM, and it’s still at least six years away from the IR doors opening for the first time. Despite not officially announcing its “Osaka first” policy until January 2019, MGM Resorts Japan has long focused its efforts on Japan’s second largest metropolitan area. This has earned it front-runner candidate operator status in Osaka – and therefore in Japan – given Osaka’s dogged pursuit of an IR has placed the city as the undisputed front runner location. MGM’s rivals in Osaka have withdrawn from the process one by one, some lured away by Yokohama, some simply not explaining why, leaving MGM as the last man standing in Osaka. Pundits wonder why the mass exodus – is Osaka demanding too much? Certainly as the last man standing the power dynamic between suitor and suited changes and it might now be MGM’s turn to make some demands of its own. MGM is not as financially strong as the other three companies in this "Big 4" and over the last 12 months has been “selling the farm.” The sale and lease back of its major properties in Las Vegas – MGM Grand, Bellagio and Mandalay Bay – has freed up at least a good chunk of the billions in cash it will need in Japan. To date MGM Resorts is the only international operator to formally enter into a consortium in pursuit of a Japan IR license, after partnering with Japanese leasing giant Orix in March 2019. MGM’s man in Japan Ed Bowers has been chipping away for years in his low-key, no-nonsense style and MGM deserves its current front runner status. 政策，但美高梅日本其實已經長期專注於這個日本第二大的大都 會區域。這讓該公司成為大阪以至全日本競爭中的領頭羊。因為 大阪對於IR鍥而不捨的追求，令到該市毫無疑問成為落腳地的其 中一個首選。 美高梅在大阪的對手都已一個個地退出，有些被橫濱引誘過 去，亦有些直接不留下任何解釋，這令到美高梅成為在大阪的最 後一人。業內專家都在疑惑到底這場大逃亡的原因是甚麼，是否 大阪要求得太多？毫無疑問，作為戰場中剩下的最後一人，追求者 與被追求者之間的關係已經出現變化。現在終於是美高梅提出自 己要求的時候。 對比起在最高一級別裏的其他3間公司，美高梅的財政能力 並不是那麼強勁，並且在過去12個月上演賣家當的戲碼。該公司 在拉斯維加斯先出售再租回其主要物業美高梅大酒店、百樂宮酒 店及曼德勒海灣度假村，已為其帶來在日本需要的那數十億元現 金的一部分。 美高梅國際酒店在2019年3月與日本租賃巨頭Orix成為夥伴 後，到目前為止都是唯一一個組成財團去競爭日本牌照的國際營 運商。 美高梅在日本的主將Ed Bowers多年來由於其低調及實幹風 格被低估，而美高梅則值得擁有現時的大熱姿態。