Mohegan Officially Opens Phase One of Inspire Korea at Incheon Airport

Posted on: March 7, 2024, 12:18h. 

Last updated on: August 9, 2024, 12:10h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Mohegan celebrated the grand opening on Tuesday of Inspire Entertainment Resort, its integrated resort casino in South Korea.

Mohegan Inspire South Korea
Leadership and cultural representatives of the Mohegan Tribe attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Inspire Korea on March 5, 2024. The Inspire Entertainment Resort is located in South Korea at Incheon International Airport. (Image: Mohegan)

The first development phase of Inspire cost $1.6 billion. The destination, adjacent to Incheon International Airport, welcomed more than 500 guests to mark the significant milestone.

Inspire is home to South Korea’s largest casino and is exclusively for international guests. The development also marks Mohegan’s first investment overseas and the first outside of North America.

Mohegan is the gaming and hospitality arm owned by the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut.

“The grand opening of Inspire is a momentous occasion for Mohegan, making both a historic partnership for our tribe and elevating our global network of resorts to unprecedented heights,” said James Gessner Jr., chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council. “I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to [the] South Korean government for the opportunity to bring our vision to life in such a vibrant country, and for the unyielding support of the Mohegan Tribe, as well as to the many individuals who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes.”

Vision to Reality

Inspire has been years in the making. In early 2016, Mohegan secured a gaming concession from the South Korean government for a casino resort at Seoul’s primary air hub.

Mohegan partnered with local development firms, and over the past eight years constructed a five-star resort with 1,275 hotel rooms. The first phase of the complex includes the Inspire Arena, capable of accommodating up to 15K people.

Guests this week were also given access to Aurora, an immersive, 500-foot-long indoor street that’s enveloped in a high-resolution LED display. The tall ceilings and expansive walls present “surreal imagery.”

“As you stroll through this indoor environment, you’ll feel as if you’re meandering amid tall grasses in a mystical forest beneath a boundless blue sky. Or perhaps you’ll find yourself submerged in the depths of a cerulean sea. Traverse the marvels of Northern Europe in this new digital expanse of unprecedented scale,” the Inspire website reads about the attraction.

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The resort offers an array of culinary experiences, from a Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse to the Chef’s Kitchen buffet. An indoor water dome called Splash Bay will keep younger guests entertained.

For older guests, the Inspire casino has 150 table games, 374 slot machines, an electronic table game stadium, and a VIP section for high rollers.

Forthcoming Attractions

In the coming weeks, Inspire will open its on-site Inspire Mall “with a mix of carefully curated branded shops.” The retail zone will also include restaurants.

Later this year, Inspire plans to debut additional facilities, including an indoor food court. The resort will also open Discovery Park, an outdoor entertainment and immersive content exhibition center, before 2025.

Future planned expansion phases at Inspire include a connected indoor walkway to Incheon International, which would make the resort the first and only casino in the world with its own private air terminal.

Inspire will also one day also include a Paramount Studios amusement park. Mohegan hasn’t said when construction on Inspire’s subsequent phases might begin. Upon full build-out, Mohegan has said previously the destination will cost around $5 billion.