Japan is preparing to welcome customers to its first casino in the western city of Osaka, a man-made island called Yumeshima. The venture, backed by a consortium including MGM Resorts, is expected to cost ¥1.08 trillion (US$7.9 billion), making it the most expensive integrated resort ever built.
When it finally opens, Singapore’s established integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), will already be celebrating their 20th anniversary. With a combined expansion worth S$9 billion (US$6.75 billion), will these two incumbents be able to withstand the Japanese competition? Or will MGM Osaka, built with the same initial investments as MBS and RWS, capture their market dominance?
With a growing Asian leisure market and the attractive appeal of Japan to Chinese tourists, who represent the largest demographic segment in the casino industry, it seems…
