Galaxy Entertainment Group President Michael Mecca says the Macau gaming operator would invite local businesses to be part of any Integrated Resort project the company undertook in Japan to help ensure it successfully integrated into the community.
In an exclusive interview with Inside Asian Gaming at the Japan Gaming Congress in Tokyo on Wednesday, Mecca revealed that Galaxy had already moved to address community concerns in a number of cities and prefectures over the potential impact an Integrated Resort might have.
And he stated that local shop owners and restaurants would be invited to be part of Galaxy’s IR operations no matter where any Japanese license sent them.
“It’s what we have done in Macau, at Broadway,” Mecca said. “As we do in Macau, what we have suggested is that everyone who registers in the hotel, everyone who comes and visits the resort, we would give them a map of the local community identifying all of the shopping areas and local tourist attractions. We would provide a complimentary shuttle service from the integrated resort to all of the key areas in the city.
“And, as we have done in Macau, we would invite a number of shop owners, a number of restaurant owners, to be part of the IR so that in every way we share the success of the Integrated Resort with the local community.”
Mecca confirmed that Galaxy has held regular meetings with senior government and corporate officials in potential Japanese IR host cities over the past two years in anticipation of an Integrated Resort Implementation Bill eventually passing.
However, he said he was heavily influenced by a recent discussion with the operators of a major retail group in Yokohama.
“It was interesting spending time with them because we were walking through the entire district and their concerns were that if there was an IR in their city, how does the IR integrate with the local community? The SMEs, the shop owners, what is their relationship with the IR? That’s a genuine concern of the business owners of every city in Japan,” Mecca said. “As we discussed with individual shop owners as well as the [retail group representatives], we want guests of the IR to explore the city where we do business.
“We want our Integrated Resort to integrate with the community.”
Asked if the same commitment would apply to any city Galaxy won a license in, Mecca replied, “Yes, because that the business philosophy of Galaxy.”
Galaxy recently announced it has partnered with Societe des Bains de Mer (SBM) in its pursuit of a Japan casino license.
