"We are a company that has partnerships, so our preference is always to have a local partner wherever we go. We are in 74 countries around the globe and we have local partners in all 74 countries, ” said Tracy. "It’s not a matter of ‘Do we want 100 percent? ’ We don’t think that’s what Japan wants. We think Japan wants us to have local partners, and we’re prepared to do that, ” added Tracy.
"We have talked to a number of construction companies, rail companies, development companies, banking companies – so there’s a lot of interest, but everyone is in the same position. We don’t know until this next piece of legislation comes out. So that will be an exciting day for everybody.” Tracy told GGRAsia.
He was referring latterly to a second bill in the casino legalisation process that observers say might be passed by Japanese lawmakers by the end of this year. It is expected to detail the specifics for the casino industry in Japan: how casinos are administered and regulated; the taxation regime to be applied to them; their location; and the number of licences to be issued.
"We like the regional markets very much. We [also] like Yokohama, we like Osaka, we think there is a chance that at least one of the major metropolitan areas will adapt a ‘Cotai Strip’ concept so that it brings critical mass and the possibility of bringing in the MICE business [meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions] in a global way.”
The idea of an "Osaka Strip” of casino resorts, to compete with the likes of Cotai in Macau and the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, had been mentioned in a white paper from consultancy Global Market Advisors announced in April.
Tracy was asked how the group would differentiate itself from the competition in the race for a Japanese casino licence. "Our advantage is that we are really global… You could pick any country in Europe, Africa, South America, Central America… and Asia, and ask about Hard Rock and they know who you are. But if you ask them about… Caesars [Entertainment Corp], unless they have been to Atlantic City, they don’t really know,” he said.
Source: GMB / GGR Asia
