After Casino, World Expo, Osaka’s Mayor Today Pitches Formula One Strategies

The Mayor of Osaka believes that the city’s successful bid to host the 2025 World Expo and its plan to bid to host one of the country’s three future integrated resorts could also boost its chances to become home to a Formula One Grand Prix race

Local news outlet The Mainichi quoted Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura saying during a press conference last week that he would “very much like to realize the Osaka F1 Grand Prix.” According to Osaka’s top official, the artificial island of Yumeshima would be where the city could host Formula One races. The man-made island will host the World Expo in 2025.

Mayor Yoshimura further dwelt last week that he hopes the host venue for the trade show would be developed with the necessary infrastructure that can subsequently be used to host Formula One motor events. He pointed out that regular asphalt roads would not be suitable to be used for races, so they “should develop better quality ones.”

The official indicated that Osaka and Yumeshima, in particular, could become a home to Formula One street circuits. Currently, Japan hosts one Formula One Grand Prix event per year at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture.

Formula One Ambitions Only Achievable with Casino on Yumeshima

Mayor Yoshimura said that the Formula One plans could and should only be realized if Osaka is selected as the preferred host of one of Japan’s three integrated resorts that are to be built as part of the country’s casino legalization push.

The official pointed out that a casino resort on Yumeshima will turn the artificial island into “the best entertainment area which cannot be seen anywhere else.”

Osaka City and the Osaka Prefecture are gearing up preparations to submit their application to host one of Japan’s integrated resorts. It is yet unknown when exactly the government will pick the three locations for the properties, the first of their kind in the country, but analysts believe this is certainly going to happen this year.

Osaka has long been deemed one of the favorites in the casino resort host race. Officials believe that the city will be able to open the property in 2024, right before the World Expo.

There already are popular casino hubs that are also hosts to Formula One races, with Monaco and Singapore being the most notable examples. Monaco could easily be identified as Europe’s most popular casino hub, while Singapore is home to two of the world’s largest integrated resorts, with those being Genting Group’s Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands operated by Las Vegas gaming and hospitality giant Las Vegas Sands.

Both Genting and Las Vegas Sands have also expressed interest in entering Japan’s casino market. Other major companies that will be bidding for the right to operate one of the nation’s first casinos include Lawrence Ho’s Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Florida-based Hard Rock International, and Las Vegas powerhouse MGM Resorts International. MGM and Melco have pointed out that they are particularly interested in Osaka and its Yumeshima island.

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