Years of engaging with key people and companies in Japan in preparation for the country opening up to international casinos has paid off for MGM Resorts International.
The passage of Japan’s regulation permitting integrated resorts “opens the possibility to drive significant growth in sustainable travel and tourism – particularly from international segments,” says the company.
Commenting on the arrival of Japan in the international casinos community, MGM chairman and CEO Jim Murren said: “The process has been very deliberate and transparent. We appreciate the high level of social responsibility reflected throughout the process by creating one of the most comprehensive bills of its kind anywhere in the world.
“MGM has provided academic research and economic analysis as well as facilitating numerous study sessions with experts from around the world. The passage of the Integrated Resort Implementation Act allows us to advance our relationships with key stakeholders and together create a coalition of Japanese business partners who will collectively define a vision for a uniquely Japanese, world-class integrated resort.”
MGM has a full-time development team in Japan and has spent four years on cultivating the market. It believes that it is well-positioned for the possibilities now open, by becoming "mmersed in Japanese culture to better its understanding of Japan’s unique history and heritage."
The company has also sponsored two world premiere Kabuki (classical Japanese dance-drama) events with the Shochiku entertainment company and by showcasing established and emerging Japanese artists in the company’s art collections across the country.
