INTERVIEW Tribal philosophy is key to success in global resort operation: Mohegan chairman

James Gessner Jr., chairman of Mohegan Tribe, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Lee Hae-rin

• Published Mar 7, 2024 4:36 PM KST
• Updated Mar 8, 2024 2:43 PM KST

James Gessner Jr., the chairman of global resort operator Mohegan Tribe, said the group’s success in the global gambling and hospitality business stems from what he describes as the “tribal legacy.”

During an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Wednesday, Gessner Jr. said he and his tribal leaders are guided by the tribal philosophy “Spirit of Aquai” and cherish their integrated resort properties as a "tribal legacy," which embodies the tribe’s commitment to honoring their heritage for generations of ancestors and descendants.

“I'm looking at my daughter when I'm making decisions, for my daughter who's 15 years old and her great grandkids. That’s how far we make decisions because the business gives us the opportunity to provide them with education, and healthcare. (It) makes sure they have a place to live and makes sure that we take care of our land and rivers and trees, everything that’s on our reservation,” he said.

The chairman visited Korea earlier this week to attend the grand opening ceremony of Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon — Mohegan's first entertainment integrated resort outside North America.

This family-oriented philosophy is partly responsible for the group's success as a global resort operator because it values thousands of non-indigenous employees and partners as part of a family and fosters long-term relationships built on mutual respect in order to thrive.

“The reason why we’re successful is not just because it’s a big shiny beautiful building … Mohegan is more than just a casino. It’s a family. It’s a tribe and it’s our own nation of 13 generations past and 13 generations to come. That’s what we really believe,” he said.

“We make them (employees) feel as though they are family members. We treat them in the way that we instill in them that ‘Spirit of Aquai.’ That mutual respect, cooperation and welcoming get passed along to the customer. So when you come to one of our facilities you feel like you're at home,” he said, referring to the tribal philosophy consisting of welcoming, mutual respect, cooperation and relationship building.

While working with several Korean government agencies, municipalities and companies to complete the mega-resort project, Gessner Jr. felt the “the warmth, the welcoming, the respectfulness” here, which he found similar to his tribe’s culture.

That's why this journey to Korea held special significance compared to the previous dozen visits made since the mega project began seven years ago. The entire tribal leadership accompanied him to showcase their unique "way of doing business."

Members of the Mohegan Tribal Council of Management Board and the Council of Elders participated in the resort's opening ceremony on Tuesday. They performed a traditional smudge ceremony at the resort, during which the tribal leaders honored the spirits of their ancestors and everything in their presence with smoke from burning sage.

“So a lot of those folks that were there, they are the management board that I make decisions with that represent the 2,300 tribal members,” the chairman said.

“We also had our tribal elders that represent our culture … and to see them give the stamp of approval of that way of doing business for 13 generations and to see the pleasure and smiles on their faces mean a lot,” Gessner Jr. said.

The Mohegan Tribe, a Connecticut-based Native American tribe that is officially recognized by the U.S. Federal Government as a sovereign nation, is a global integrated resort developer and operator that runs properties in North America to generate revenues for tribal welfare and economic development.

Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort’s large entertainment and convention facilities aim to become a hub of K-culture and K-tourism in Northeast Asia, leveraging their strategic proximity to Incheon International Airport, connecting major cities such as Beijing, Tokyo and Hong Kong within a four-hour radius.

The group’s global expansion comes amid fierce competition among integrated resorts in Asia.

In the face of the global economic crisis in 2005, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced his cabinet would adopt a policy to foster the tourism industry by establishing large-scale integrated resorts.

Launched in 2010, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, both comprising hotels, shopping malls, convention centers, and casinos, became the pillars of the country's tourism industry. Their establishment led to ripple effects, including the creation of approximately 20,000 direct jobs and generating an annual casino revenue of four billion dollars.

Notably, the average number of visitors to Singapore increased by 15 percent compared to before the integrated resorts were built — from 10 million to 15 million visitors.

Singapore has plans to invest an additional $6.7 billion (9 trillion won) by 2028 to further develop high-end hotels, which will include accommodation for 2,000 suites, along with a 15,000-seat performance venue.

Meanwhile, neighboring Japan foresees the launch of its first casino and integrated resort on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka between 2029-30.

In April of last year, the Japanese government granted approval for the project, which is funded by MGM and the Japanese company Orix.

Japan decided to dedicate a substantial investment of $8.4 billion to establish the entertainment complex with an ambitious goal of luring some 20 million visitors annually.

The launch of the Osaka integrated resort is anticipated to have a considerable impact on Korea's inbound tourism, accounting for approximately 7.6 million domestic and international tourists as well as 760 billion won in tourism revenues from Korea annually.

He envisions the mega-resort on Yeongjong Island, which will grow to outsize all integrated resorts in Northeast Asia once all of the four-phase development is complete, to represent both his Native American heritage and Korea’s local characteristics.

“We do want it to look like something that represents our tribe but also represents Korea as well … and I keep looking forward to coming here more and more," he said.