Japan on deck

Three casino resort concessions. Four Las Vegas companies capable of delivering integrated resorts in what some analysts say is potentially a $20 billion market.

And that doesn’t even count able competitors from other parts of the world.

The race to win in Japan officially began in July after that nation’s government approved legislation authorizing casino resorts.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. CEO Sheldon Adelson said in his earnings call that the company’s decadeslong ties to Japan give his company a leg up in the fierce battle for a license.

“Everybody says — local Japanese, business people, banks — we have the leading position in Japan because of my background,” Adelson told analysts.

But Wynn Resorts also is confident. “We believe that the Wynn aesthetic and our unrelenting focus on excellence and our commitment to thoughtful, immersive entertainment will resonate well in Japan and we look forward to competing there,” CEO Matt Maddox said in his call.

Caesars Entertainment, known worldwide with its various brands, has had boots on the ground in Japan for years.

And MGM Resorts International, which will open a new resort in Massachusetts in less than two weeks, also has developed relationships over a long period.

Richard N. Velotta Las Vegas Review-Journal