Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura acknowledged Tuesday that it would be “difficult” to open its planned integrated resort and casino facility on Yumeshima Island by 2029 due to the length of time it took to achieve central government certification.
According to Reuters, Yoshimura told reporters it is a “shared understanding of the people involved” that opening would now be later than initially planned, adding “Until now I have only mentioned the possibility of delays.”
His comments echo those made by MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle in May, who told analysts during an earnings call that he doesn’t expect the company’s Osaka IR to open until 2030, possibly sometime in the second quarter. The project had previously been flagged for a 2029 launch.
