A partnership of Kirk Kerkorian’s MGM Mirage and investment company Dubai World has held discussions about buying the Drake Hotel site from developer Harry Macklowe, The Post has learned.

While it’s unclear if the MGM group will beat competing offers, sources familiar with the situation said the partnership would take over the existing $580 million in defaulted debt and interest, making the payments for the 12 months to 18 months until a construction loan is obtained.

Macklowe was asking for an additional $200 million for the site, located at East 56th Street and Park Avenue.

Macklowe has most of the land cleared but is still negotiating with some hold-out commercial tenants in neighboring townhouses to create a large front door on 57th Street.

The deal makes sense for MGM, which has been under pressure from Kerkorian, who owns 53.4 percent of the company, to diversify away from the gaming business into hotels.

MGM spokesman Alan Fieldname said, “There may have been a discussion but it has not gone further than that.”

A new luxury hotel in New York could become a flagship for MGM and also become a “feeder” to Las Vegas and Foxwoods for MGM’s European and Middle Eastern high rollers.

MGM and the Mashantucket Pequot tribe have jointly developed a hotel near the Foxwoods casino in Connecticut, and are collaborating to develop other projects.

“A Park Avenue address is prestigious and well regarded from a global perspective, and a globally recognized brand would be a good combination,” said Mark Gordon of Cushman Wakefield Sonnenblick Gordon, a hotel investment broker who is not involved in the Macklowe negotiations.

Dubai World last fall invested over $5.1 billion in MGM’s 76-acre CityCenter development project in Las Vegas by buying shares in MGM at over $84 each. It has since upped its stake to 9.6 percent of the company.

Macklowe is facing financial pressure on many fronts since paying $7 billion for six skyscrapers a year ago with loans on other assets, including the trophy GM Building.

A Macklowe spokesperson had no comment.