Reports have revealed that Osaka City executives deleted official emails concerning the planned integrated casino resort after they had received some requests for information disclosure.
The content of the emails was associated with the real estate evaluation and assessment of the planned casino resort, which is set to be situated on Osaka Bay’s man-made Yumeshima Island.
According to media reports, Osaka City officials deleted the emails from the network server rather than responding appropriately to the received information disclosure request, and after that claimed that such emails did not exist. The false response was even received by the City Council of Osaka.
However, a successive investigation found that the emails and the files that were attached to them had been saved in a separate location. As a result of the probe findings, the city has taken disciplinary against two managers who faced a one-month pay cut due to their wrongdoings. Two other individuals involved in the misconduct were also delivered reprimands by the competent authorities.
A spokesperson for Osaka City issued a special release on the matter at a press conference, saying that the local authorities were unable to confirm there was an intentional attempt to hide the emails but the actions of the executives who had done so did damage the officials’ credibility.
MGM Resorts and Orix Corporation Join Forces for the Construction of the Osaka Integrated Resort
As reported by CasinoGamesPro in September, Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture officially approved MGM Resorts and Orix Corporation’s plans to build an integrated casino resort and issued the necessary certification for the joint venture between the two companies – Osaka IR Corporation – to be able to proceed with its project. The certificate covers the “Specified Integrated Resort Facilities Area Development Plan” for the proposed integrated casino resort.
Previously, in April 2023, the project was approved by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. On the other hand, the new certification confirms the exact development plans for the resort and its location that is set to be established on Yumeshima Island.
If everything goes according to plan, the planned integrated casino resort will feature the first land-based casino in Japan. As explained by the two companies forming the joint venture that would operate the casino resort, the new establishment is expected to contribute to the sustainable growth and development of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City on one hand, and the wider economy of the country, on the other hand.
At the time when the certification of the IR project was finalized, Bill Hornbuckle, the president and CEO of MGM Resort, noted that the competition for the certification was a significant moment for the company as it would provide the developers with the chance to focus on finally executing their vision to turn the project in a reality.
The integrated casino resort in Osaka has been the culmination of years of work both by the Japanese Government and international investors who have been willing to set foot in the country’s gambling sector.
