OSAKA — The president of major U.S. casino company Las Vegas Sands Corp. on Wednesday pitched its plan to develop casino resort facilities in Osaka during his visit to the western Japan city which will host the World Exposition in 2025.

Robert Goldstein met with Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui and Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura as the prefecture and the city plan to open integrated resort facilities including casinos by 2024 on the World Expo venue Yumeshima.

Citing its achievements in operating casinos in Macau and Las Vegas, Goldstein said he wants to draw up a plan to create the world’s greatest integrated resort facilities in Osaka.

Matsui, who has been visited by multiple resort facility operators, told reporters, “We will shortlist candidates by starting to assess their plans and willingness to invest early next year.”

During the meeting, the governor said the prefecture wants to create an area where people from around the world can enjoy the synergy between the World Expo and integrated resort facilities.

Yoshimura has expressed his intention to ask resort facility operators to shoulder 20 billion yen ($176 million) out of about 54 billion yen needed to extend a metro line to the artificial island venue toward 2025.

Goldstein told reporters after the meeting that the construction of the facilities requires significant investment and his company will do what is necessary.