Mohegan Korea touts first Michael Jordan steakhouse abroad

Jul 14, 2023 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck  

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Inspire Entertainment Resort, a complex at Incheon, South Korea, is to host the first steak restaurant and the first bar and grill outside the United States to carry branding tied to star American basketball player Michael Jordan. The property, being developed by U.S.-based Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, is due to open some non-gaming facilities in the fourth quarter, followed by a foreigner-only casino early next year.

Cornerstone Restaurant Group, a long-time partner of Mohegan Gaming, is to bring to Inspire Entertainment Resort, a ‘Michael Jordan’s Steak House’; ‘MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill’; and what were termed in a Wednesday press release as two “original concepts” – ‘Hi-Fi Chicken & Beer’, and ‘Brasserie 1783’.

The announcement did not specify if the outlets would be among the facilities to launch in the fourth quarter.

Ray Pineault, president and chief executive of Mohegan Gaming, was quoted in the Wednesday update as saying: “Michael Jordan’s Steak House and the MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill are two of our most popular restaurants at our flagship property, Mohegan Sun, in Connecticut, and to bring these two concepts to South Korea, along with brand-new concepts as well, is very exciting.”

Inspire Entertainment Resort is to have 1,275 hotel rooms, a 15,000-seat multipurpose arena, conference facilities, shops, an indoor waterpark, and an outdoor themed attraction, as well as the foreigner-only casino. The first phase of the scheme has been described by Mohegan as a US$1.6-billion venture.

Cornerstone Restaurant Group and affiliate Jump Higher LLC, led by restaurateurs David Zadikoff and Josh Zadikoff, in partnership with Michael Jordan, oversee all Michael Jordan-brand restaurants, stated Wednesday’s announcement.

Mr Jordan retired from the National Basketball Association (NBA) for a third and final time in 2003. During two spells at the Chicago Bulls, he wore number 23 on his shirt.

Basketball is among the most-watched sports in South Korea, according to a number of market research outlets including The Nielsen Co LLC.

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