Manila Representative and chairman of House Committee on Games and Amusement Amado Bagatsing revealed that at least four foreign companies have shown interest in participating in the development of Entertainment City, a first-rate entertainment and gaming center along Roxas Boulevard.
Currently, Universal Entertainment owned by Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada is one of four companies that hold a provisional license to operate a $2-billion casino resort at the said site, but the company is facing investigations over an alleged bribery concerning the acquisition of this license.
The Department of Justice has been tasked by the Office of the President to look into allegations that the Japanese company paid a $5-million bribe to a certain Rodolfo Soriano who is a close associate of the former PAGCOR head. The government has announced that it will withdraw the license of Okada if the allegations are certified as correct.
Bagatsing stated that there is a queue of foreign companies waiting to move in should Okada lose its license, the Philippine Star reported.
