Edward Tracy
Hard Rock International has upped the ante in its charm offensive ahead of Japan’s much-awaited integrated resort license bid.
The company unveiled its banner at a sold-out Yokohama concert featuring alternative rock band Muse, in which they revealed an all-new logo for Japan, according to Asia Gaming Brief. The logo includes a Japanese-language subtitle that translates as “The Future of a Japan-Style IR”.
Hard Rock CEO for Asia Edward Tracy said at a press conference that the company’s focus on entertainment would differentiate it from the other bid contenders.
“Entertainment is our DNA,” he said. “We are an entertainment company first and a casino company second.”
Tracy also said that Hard Rock is interested in bidding for the rights to operate an integrated resort in both municipal and regional locations. He informed that the company has submitted plans to two local governments, but did not disclose which ones.
Japan’s legislature recently approved the country’s Integrated Resorts Promotion Bill, marking the first step toward the legalization of gaming in a market that CLSA gaming analysts estimate to be worth approximately USD40 billion.
According to Hard Rock, the company intends to expand its Asia-Pacific portfolio and is prepared to make a “major investment” in Japan to this end.
Asked at the event about the level of investment Hard Rock was contemplating, Tracy said only that it would depend on the specific circumstances of a concession, including whether the company will be required to partner with a local institution.
The company already has 30 years of experience in the Japanese market, with six Hard Rock Café locations currently in operation.
Tracy has held a number of positions within the gaming and hospitality industry in the past. In July 2010 he joined Sands China Ltd, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands Corp., as its president and chief operating officer. He later became the company’s CEO in July 2011, responsible for overseeing the largest integrated resort operator by revenue in Macau.
Prior to Sands, Tracy served as president and CEO of Capital Gaming, as well as president and CEO of the Trump Organization. In 2014, Harvard Business Review named Tracy as one of “The Best-Performing CEOs in the World” in its annual top-100 ranking.
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