GKL denies joint venture with Mohegan Sun; Paradise gaming tables cool down

South Korean casino operator Grand Korea Leisure (GKL) is exploring the idea of opening a new casino on Yeongjong Island but has denied reports it is planning a joint venture with US tribal casino operator Mohegan Sun.

Earlier this week, the Korean Economic Daily reported GKL would team with Mohegan Sun on a KRW 1t (US $912m) casino resort project near the Incheon Free Economic Zone (FEZ). The pairing would have represented the Connecticut-based casino operator’s first foray into the Asian market, but alas, GKL says there’s no truth to the reports – at least, not yet.

On Wednesday, GKL released a statement saying it was conducting a “feasibility study and many other kinds of research” regarding the Yeongjong project “but nothing has been decided, including any business partners or investors.” GKL confirmed that Mohegan Sun representatives had visited GKL’s offices but said this was nothing more than a courtesy call.

True or not, GKL’s Incheon project was said to involve 250 gaming tables, 1,500 electronic gaming machines, 1k hotel rooms and a 20k-seat concert arena. GKL currently operates three small foreigner-only casinos in South Korea under the Seven Luck brand and is known to be looking at expansion opportunities. The publicly traded GKL is an affiliate of the Korea Tourism Organization, a state-run tourism agency.