Inside Asian Gaming

DECEMBER 2017 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 51 ASIAN GAMING POWER 50 2 0 1 7 the enormous power China wields over Korea’s financial fortunes. “The reality is that they are very dependent on Chinese customers and therefore are very leveraged to the goodwill of the PRC,” Govertsen said. But it’s not all doom and gloom for Paradise, which remains well-placed to capitalize now that China has started to ease some restrictions and allow its citizens to return to its near neighbor. Paradise City – located next to Incheon International Airport on Yeongjong Island – is by far Korea’s largest and most luxurious property, boasting a five-star hotel, convention center, hallyu- themed K-Plaza, indoor theme park, restaurants and a luxury spa. The gaming floor, with 160 tables, 385 electronic tables and 350 slot machines, also dwarfs any of the country’s other foreigner- only casinos. Gabe Hunterton PROPERTY PRESIDENT, CITY OF DREAMS Melco Resorts & Entertainment POWER 916 LAST – SCORE YEAR CLAIMS TO FAME Oversees Melco Resorts’ flagship property Extensive Macau track record 27 It’s notable that the gap between Melco Resorts’ top man – Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho – and the next Melco man on our list in Gabe Hunterton is so large. It’s the inevitable effect of Ho’s restructuring of the company and the split with Crown Resorts, offloading much of his executive team and filling their positions without establishing any clear deputy. Yet the newcomers couldn’t have arrived at a more important time for the company, particularly Property President of Melco’s flagship City of Dreams, Gabe Hunterton. With the Zaha Hadid-designed luxury hotel Morpheus due to open in May 2018, Ho plans to completely reimagine City of Dreams, telling IAG in June it would “compete with the Wynns of the world and the high-end operators.” For his part, Hunterton brings almost 20 years of experience in the gaming industry to Melco’s senior executive team, having previously served as Senior Vice President of Business Development at MGM Macau, Chief Operating Officer at StarWorld and Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Galaxy Macau. With Ho’s ambitious expansion plans already starting to take shape, this could be a unique opportunity for Hunterton to truly make his mark.