The opening date for Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment’s Korean integrated resort, Inspire, has been delayed with the company’s local partner, Incheon International Airport Corp (IIAC), revealing this week that the start of operations has been pushed back from late 2021 to June 2022.
IIAC provided the update to local reporters on Tuesday, with construction on Inspire Korea’s Phase 1 development – including a 1,256-room five star hotel, convention space and casino – expected to be complete by the end of 2021. Phase 2 development will then begin immediately, IIAC said, which will see a KRW1.3 trillion (US$1.1 billion) Paramount Pictures theme park completed by 2024 and open by 2025.
“Once the Inspire resort opens at Incheon airport in 2022, it will not only offer world-class facilities for domestic and international travelers but also provide high-quality jobs in the region,” said IIAC CEO Koo Bon-hwan.
“We will transform Incheon International Airport as the center of global economic activities that integrates aviation, logistics and high-tech industry with the Inspire project by speeding up our efforts to create an economic bloc within the region.”
According to the Korea Herald, Inspire’s Paramount theme park will cover an area of 404,600-square-meters and offer 40 branded rides and attractions alongside various retail, dining and other entertainment options.
SVP of Paramount Pictures Ty Granaroli told reporters this week that the attractions will feature storylines from some of the company’s biggest global hits such as “Mission Impossible” and “Star Trek” combined with distinctive elements of Korean culture, including a dedicated K-pop zone.
“Every ride will have K-pop music onboard. This area will be like a K-pop music festival,” he said.
“We are creating a theme park that is really good for the whole family, providing a holistic experience for both parents and children.
“We are storytellers. We create movies and content, and have a legacy of storytelling. People love great stories. But I think successful theme parks in the world are mostly based on their intellectual property.”
