What are Mohegan’s plans after Hokkaido withdrawal

The company was really interested in the Hokkaido resort and even opened an office less than to months ago

Japan.- After Governor of Hokkaido confirmed that its prefecture would not fight for an IR bid, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment is evaluating its options in Japan. Alongside Hard Rock International and Rush Street Japan, The company was really interested in the Hokkaido resort and even opened an office less than to months ago. Now they have to change plans.

“Although the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we understand the position of Governor Suzuki and respect his judgment regarding IR development in Hokkaido. We are especially grateful for the warm hospitality shown to us by the people of Hokkaido, our partners and our friends,”  Mohegan CEO Mario Kontomerkos said to Inside Asian Game.

“We will continue to elevate the global integrated resort concept in Northern Asia via our Inspire development in South Korea, and we remain committed to the broader region,” he added.

After Hokkaido’s withdrawal, Mohegan joined with Hanwha Corp to build its IR near Incheon. The South Korean will be the new partner for the development of the resort which is planned to be open in 2022. It will also provide the project with important local operational expertise and credit enhancement. 

The resort will be the largest in the country when completed. It will have four phases with all stages to be completed by 2031. The first phase will include the hotel, with 1,256 rooms, the 15,000-seat arena, convention halls and a foreigner-only casino. This phase will cost $1.29 billion. The second stage will start in 2021, and includes the Paramount Pictures indoor theme park scheduled to open by 2025. The outdoor theme park is expected to start in 2024.