Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Oshidori International Development has angrily withdrawn from the competition to partner with Nagasaki Prefecture on the construction of an Integrated Resort (IR) including a casino.
“Unless there are certain changes to the developmental and operational rules imposed by the Nagasaki Prefecture, and unless the [Request for Proposal] process is conducted in an ethical manner, it is withdrawing from participating in the [Request for Proposal] for an IR in Nagasaki,” a press release read.
It continued, “The restrictive and unreasonable rules imposed by the Nagasaki Prefecture make it impossible for Oshidori to conduct business in a prudent and efficient manner. In addition, Oshidori has encountered several incidents that make it question whether there have been serious ethical irregularities in the [Request for Proposal] process, and it is only interested in participating in a process that has the highest integrity, and that is professional, transparent, and based on merit.”
It is unclear exactly what circumstances provoked Oshidori’s strong actions, although a number of accusations against CEO Alex Yemenidjian and his family have been circulated by email, and there does seem to have been an effort by unknown parties to discredit the firm in recent weeks.
Oshidori, in alliance with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, had appeared to be a strong contender to become Nagasaki’s IR operator partner.
Before its unexpected withdrawal, the Oshidori consortium had been focusing its attention on building positive community relations.
The Kyushu Oshidori Children’s Foundation was established in 2019 and owns approximately 18.8% of the share capital of Oshidori International Holdings. Last July, the Foundation donated ¥20 million (US$180,000) to Akai Hane (Nagasaki Community Chest Association & Social Welfare Corporation) to support flood relief efforts. This year it donated ¥10 million (US$90,000) to seven child welfare institutions in Nagasaki as part of a Children’s Day initiative.
Moreover, in February, Oshidori formed an official partnership agreement with V-Varen Nagasaki, a Japanese J2 League football club.
In its latest move announced in late July, Oshidori, in partnership with the Nagasaki Bus Tourism Development Promotion Fund, invited seventeen local students on a tour to discover the rich history of Nagasaki.
The departure of Oshidori leaves only Casinos Austria and Niki Chyau Fwu (Parkview) Group in the race, but it remains to be seen if there is additional fallout after such a dramatic turn of events.
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