Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming FEBRUARY 2016 20 Feature In Focus This month the Korean government is expected to announce the winners in its request-for-proposal process to build two new integrated resorts. Will there be any? By Steven Ribet A fter a roaring start a year ago South Korea’s plan to build two more integrated resorts is foundering and could even fall flat. Nearly three dozen parties expressed interest when invitations were first sent out in February 2015. But by the final deadline last November 30, full proposals actually submitted had dwindled to just six. Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) says the number left in the running is now only two. The winners are due to be announced this month (February), but analysts are saying the scheme may be scrapped. A Korean academic, meanwhile, reckons the government may be pressured into postponing, or revising down its requirements. Koreas love affair with integrated resorts has been going on for three years. The country today has 16 licensed foreigner-only casinos operating in tourist hotspots, plus just one open to its own citizens for Korean IRs? Mohegan Sun’s proposed US$5 billion mega-resort, the first stage of which is named “Inspire.”