Matsui admits Osaka IR may not open until 2028

Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui announced at a Thursday press conference that an extra six months would be necessary for IR operators to submit all of their plans for the RFP process, and that realistically the coronavirus impact will result in a one or two year delay in the opening of the Yumeshima IR, perhaps to 2028.

The current plans call for the IR to open by the end of 2026. As recently as March Matsui had been aiming for an opening before the 2025 World Expo.

“The spread of the new coronavirus has made it impossible to meet with the business operators, and the conclusion of the agreement will be delayed, affecting the schedule,” Matsui noted. He also indicated that the municipal government had heard from the operator side that they would have difficulty meeting the current deadlines.

Only the consortium led by MGM Japan and the Orix Corporation are bidding for a partnership with the Osaka government.

Matsui also indicated that his belief is that the national government will likely extend the period that it will accept licensing proposals from local governments beyond the current July 30, 2021, deadline.

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