Osaka Prefecture and Osaka city will partner with MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp. in bidding to construct a casino resort under Japan's liberalized gambling laws, Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said Tuesday.
The consortium of the U.S. resort operator and the Japanese financial services company is planning an initial investment of about ¥1.08 trillion ($9.7 billion) to open a casino complex in Osaka Bay in the late 2020s if selected as one of three integrated resort locations where the Japanese government plans to grant permits.
The prefecture and the city plan to apply for hosting a casino resort next spring after gaining approval at their assemblies.