Hokkaido IR Show was opened in Japan: what have companies have shown?

The opening ceremony of the Hokkaido IR Show ended on Thursday, January 10th. Seven IR operators, as well as many other Japanese companies and associations, participated in the first public IR event held in the prefecture.

Gambling companies planning to enter the Japanese market presented projects of future casino resorts, as well as told about their plans.

The event began with a solemn ceremony of cutting the tape by Mayor Tomakomai - Hirofumi Iwakura and Mayor Rusutsu - Tsunehati Bai, who were joined by sponsors and members of the government.

Hard rock

According to profile media, Hard Rock had the most striking exhibits representing building models. Yoshikazu Nonomura, general manager of the Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Professional football club , received a donation of $100,000 from Hard Rock chairman Jim Allen as compensation for the restoration of objects damaged by the earthquake last September.

Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Entertainment focused on musical productions as a major entertainment event. The US operator remained true to its previous policy and confirmed that they are ready to invest as much as Japan needs. Stephen Tait, president of the company's international development, noted that Caesars will play an active role in preserving the environment, especially in local municipalities such as Hokkaido.

Melco Resorts and Entertainment

Melco Resorts and Entertainment's message at the event in Hokkaido focused not only on luxury and entertainment, but also on the experience of working with small and large partners. During the presentation, Melco Japan Development Director Shumpei Kumagai spoke about recruitment and employee satisfaction initiatives, explaining that, according to the assessment of the Macao government, Melco Resorts was named number one employer.

SJM Holdings

The presentation of the CFO of SJM Holdings Arnaldo Ho focused on how to attract Chinese tourists and the restaurant business sector. This, in his opinion, is the key to the success of the operator and the integrated resort as a whole. Ho mentioned that two of the three restaurants in Macau, which received three Michelin stars, are located at SJM resorts and that Hokkaido food resources have great potential for future IRs in the region.

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has introduced its Inspire brand, South Korean IR, which is due to open in early 2022 in Inchon. Corporate Director Christopher Jones states that when construction is completed, the project will become the largest IR in North Asia with significant profits. The tribal operator views the Inspire database as a priceless asset when marketing for foreign tourists in accordance with the recommendations of the Japanese government.

Rush street gaming

Rush Street Gaming brought to the fore its experience in real estate and large innovative projects. Finance Director Tim Drehkov officially launched My Tomakomai platform, a digital platform that allows anyone to voice their opinions and ideas about IR in the city.

Japanese developers

TOMOWEL, the corporate brand of Kyodo Printing Group, demonstrated the application for making payments. The Heiwa manufacturer of slot machines showed a virtual golf offer, which all participants of the event were able to try and evaluate. NEC presented the facial recognition technology to introduce it at different stages of the IR visit: from the airport to direct visits to the resort.

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