The Japanese company, Aruze, has announced plans to open its first casino resort in the Philippines in April 2010.

Aruze, which manufactures gaming machines, was awarded a provisional license by the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR) last month to run the new casino, which will form part of the "Bagong Nayong Pilipino Manila Bay Tourism City" complex in the capital, Manila. Plans for the resort include a casino and hotel, as well as an art museum, sports facilities and ferris wheel. Azure hopes to have the casino open in April 2010, with the hotel expected to open in November 2011. Work on the complex is scheduled to start in February 2009.

The company plans to build the new development on a 40-hectare (98.8-acre) site, of which 30 hectares (74 acres) has already been acquired for $300m (£169.7m). It is expected that the final cost could exceed $2.3bn (£1.3bn). Azure's partners, Wynn Resorts, already operates casino resorts in Las Vegas and Macau, but a statement issued by the Japanese company said: "This Philippino casino resort represents the company's own project within its casino resort operation business.

"With the acquisition of the site and provisional license, preparations are in place to fully move forward with developing this resort."