MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO James Murren says the company is looking to be part of a “Japanese-led” consortium in its bid to win a Japan gaming license, adding that any such collaboration should honor “the values and traditions of Japan” in creating a “uniquely Japanese Integrated Resort.”
Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2017 Japan Conference in Tokyo on Thursday, Mr Murren said that MGM Resorts Japan was committed to being a good partner to Japanese companies and wanted to partner with companies that brought the same company values and culture.
He also pointed to Tokyo, Yokohama and Japan as the cities of choice for MGM – the same three cities highlighted by Wynn Resorts Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn last week.
MGM’s vision for a Tokyo integrated resort
Mr Murren was quick to highlight the importance of any consortium of which MGM Resorts Japan is part being Japanese-led, stating that the company was continuing to learn about Japanese culture and traditions, was building cultural and business bridges between the US and Japan, was developing a “relationship of trust” with many Japanese companies and was engaging with the community in order to promote Japan’s Advanced Tourism Nation agenda through IR development.
MGM Resorts International last week opened a new office in Tokyo’s central business district. It also recently announced the appointment of former Charge d’Affaires at the United States Embassy Tokyo, Jason P Hyland, as Representative Officer and President of MGM Resorts Japan in a move it said “reinforced its commitment to the Japanese market.”
