The Nagasaki prefectural government's vision of constructing an integrated resort that featured a casino as part of a financial opportunity has come to an abrupt halt. Initiated with high aspirations, the proposal faced a setback when the infrastructure ministry turned down their application in December, expressing concerns over the financial backing required for such a venture.
As the deadline of March 27 approached for the prefectural government to request utilizing the administrative complaint review system, officials revealed during a March 13 prefectural assembly committee session that they would not be pursuing an appeal and acknowledged the impracticality of continuing with the existing plan. Looking ahead, the prospects of reapplying for a similar project in the future were deemed highly challenging, considering the need to start afresh in selecting a suitable location and an operating entity for the integrated resort if new hosts were sought by the central government.
Initially, there were optimistic projections from the Nagasaki prefectural government regarding the integrated resort, envisioning an annual influx of 8.4 million visitors and substantial sales reaching about 270 billion yen. However, the reality took a different turn, and after significant investments totaling around 1.1 billion yen between fiscal 2019 and 2023, it became evident that the envisioned financial gains might not materialize as planned. Despite the disappointment of shelving the casino resort plan, officials have acknowledged the outcome and shifted focus away from pursuing this ambitious project.