Japanese gaming giant Sega Sammy Holdings says it has increased the number of personnel dispatched to its Paradise City integrated resort in South Korea from just six in April to approximately 50 as it ramps up preparations to bid for a Japan casino license.
The news formed part of Sega Sammy’s 2017 annual report, published Monday, in which the company best known for pachinko machines and video games reiterated its ambition of operating an IR on home soil.
Pointing to its joint venture with Korean casino operator Paradise Co as a stepping stone to Japan, Sega Sammy said it had “proceeded to accumulate insight into the operation and management of casinos by dispatching personnel to Paradise Casino Incheon.
“We are also seeking to acquire integrated resort development and operation insight for use in the domestic market through our involvement in Paradise City, South Korea’s first integrated resort, which was opened in April 2017.
“Initially, only six employees were dispatched to Paradise, but this number has steadily grown since, coming to approximately 50 [as of] September 2017.”
Sega Sammy’s Chief Operating Officer Haruki Satomi said the company’s Japan ambition is “to participate in all aspects of the integrated resort business, including casino operations” and that “we have been preparing steadily to realize this ambition.”
“The goals of the resort business are to achieve success in the integrated resort business and to enhance brand recognition. To ensure the success of the integrated resort business, we will make an all-out effort to acquire expertise.
“Through Phoenix Resort (in Miyazaki), which became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2012, we are accumulating know-how in the management of resort facilities. Although Phoenix Resort does not have a casino, we are investing to heighten the appeal of the resort, which is one of Japan’s foremost resort complexes and boasts one of the country’s largest convention centers.
“Thus, the resort is giving us the opportunity to develop and manage convention-related operations and hotels and we are accumulating casino management know-how primarily through Paradise.”
Satomi also revealed plans to focus Paradise City marketing efforts in Japan to attract more Japanese customers in the coming months.
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