Reports that Nagasaki Prefecture's Dutch theme park Huis Ten Bosch may be sold have created uncertainty about the fate of a planned casino resort at the site.
The theme park, which opened in 1992 in the port city of Sasebo and recreates the atmosphere of a traditional Dutch village, has a history of financial problems, with it going into bankruptcy in 2003 due to low attendance. Currently, the largest shareholder is the H.I.S. travel agency, which has a 67% stake in the park, with smaller shares owned by Kyushu Electric Power, Saibu Gas Holdings, Kyudenko and Kyushu Railway.
H.I.S. says it is negotiating with several entities. No timeline for a possible sale, nor the conditions under which the park might be sold, have been announced. With the details vague, there is now uncertainty around the plans for Huis Ten Bosch's so-called integrated resort (IR), which is expected to open in the autumn of 2027.