Melco Resorts & Entertainment has partnered Manchester City to become the English football club’s Official Partner in Japan.
It can be said that, among other things, this partnership will help the integrated resort operator to gain brand recognition across Japan as it is looking to bid for one of three licenses for the development of casino resorts under the country’s new gambling law.
It also became known that aside from Manchester City, Melco has also partnered City Football Group’s Japanese sister club, Yokohama F. Marinos.
The partnership was announced at a special event in the Japanese city of Yokohama that was attended by Manchester City legend Paul Dickov as well as members of Yokohama F. Marinos’ first team.
Under the terms of the recently announced partnership, Melco will become the Official Partner of Manchester City in Japan and a Community Presenting Partner of Yokohama F. Marinos. As a result, Melco and Marinos will create and implement together community programs and events around Japan.
Entertainment at the Heart of Everything
Commenting on Melco becoming their official Japanese partner, City Football Group Senior Vice President of Partnerships Damian Willoughby said that they are delighted to welcome the casino resort operator to their family.
The official went on to say that “Melco and Manchester City share a common approach to have entertainment at the heart of everything we do, providing great experiences for our fans and visitors.”
Mr. Willoughby also pointed out that with both City and Melco being committed to using football as “a force for good,” they are excited to roll out the gaming and hospitality company’s new community football program in Japan.
Melco’s CEO and Chairman, Lawrence Ho, added that they have found perfect partners in Manchester City and Marinos and that they are all businesses that “excel at entertaining, whilst putting community first.”
The executive further noted that “Melco’s connections to Japan run deep, so being able to support grassroots community programmes across the country is an exciting opportunity for us all.”
Melco’s Japanese Casino Bid
Melco is believed to be among the front-runners in the race for one of three casino licenses that are expected to be issued by the Japanese government as part of the country’s ongoing casino gambling legalization and regulation process.
The company has previously revealed that it has set sights on the artificial island of Yumeshima near Osaka as the potential location of its integrated resort, if it wins one of the gaming licenses up for grabs.
Melco has been working diligently to establish its brand in Japan, and the recent partnership with Manchester City and its sister team comes as one more manifestation of how serious the company is about its Japanese expansion plans.
Earlier this year, Melco presented images for its proposed Osaka integrated resort, which the company has dubbed City of the Future. Mr. Ho said that he believes the casino license bidding process remains on track for early 2020 start and that his company, through its portfolio of high-quality resorts in Macau and the Philippines, “devotion to craftsmanship, dedication to world-class entertainment offerings, market-leading social safeguards system, established track record of successful partnerships, culture of exceptional guest service, and commitment to employee development”, will help Japan realize its vision to develop world-leading integrated resorts with a “unique Japanese touch.”
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