Osaka, Japan – A groundbreaking ceremony for MGM Osaka, Japan’s first integrated resort (IR) featuring a casino, took place on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for the country’s tourism and entertainment sector. The event was announced by Osaka IR KK, the consortium spearheading the development, in a press release.
The ceremony was attended by key figures, including Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka Prefecture, alongside representatives from U.S.-based MGM Resorts International and Japan’s Orix Corporation, both of which are the principal partners in the venture. The project also involves several other Japanese businesses as minority investors.
MGM Resorts, which also holds a majority stake in Macau’s MGM China Holdings Ltd., is leading the development of this ambitious $8.9 billion project. The resort will be built on Yumeshima, an artificial island located in Osaka Bay within Japan’s Kansai region. The total project value is estimated at JPY 1.27 trillion (approximately US$8.9 billion).
The resort complex is slated for completion by the summer of 2030, with its official opening expected in the autumn of the same year. The project aims to significantly boost Japan’s tourism industry and contribute to the economic growth of the Kansai region, according to a statement from Thursday’s press release.
Once completed, MGM Osaka will feature a hotel with around 2,500 rooms. In addition to its hospitality offerings, the resort will include approximately 400,000 square feet of conference space, 330,000 square feet of exhibition space, and a theatre with a seating capacity of approximately 3,500.
In response to concerns about the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, which is taking place at Yumeshima until October 13 this year, both Osaka prefectural authorities and the MGM Osaka development team have announced measures to minimize construction disruptions. These measures include scaling down construction activities on high-traffic days and postponing the use of heavy machinery until after the Expo concludes.
Furthermore, it was revealed earlier this month that a request-for-proposal (RFP) process will be launched later this year to select developers for Phase 2 of the Yumeshima development. Phase 2, designed to complement the MGM Osaka casino resort, will be divided into two sections: a “gateway zone” and a “global entertainment zone.”
In terms of transportation, a new Osaka metro station, which began service on January 19, will serve Expo 2025 and, eventually, MGM Osaka. Additionally, rail connectivity to Yumeshima will be expanded with the introduction of a new through-line on the overground railway system, extending the Kintetsu Nara Line. This new link is expected to open shortly before MGM Osaka’s official launch, according to Takashi Wakai, President of Kintetsu Group Holdings Co Ltd., the parent company of the line’s operator.
