In 2023, Wynn Resorts Ltd. announced plans for a $4 billion resort in the United Arab Emirates. The Marjan Islands are now crowded with workers for the construction of five-star resorts, shops, and $7 million villas.
Developers are aiming to transform the area into a major tourist hotspot. Furthermore, the UAE is constructing a new airport terminal to accommodate the new tourists the casino will attract.
Before this deal, the artificial Marjan Islands, located off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), had been mostly unused for the past decade. The government of the UAE attempted to build a football-themed resort and football academy, but they abandoned those plans, resulting in the 2.7 square-kilometer area being left deserted.
“The Wynn casino and resort has been a game changer for Marjan,” the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Investments PJC Khalid Bin Kalban said to Bloomberg. The company is building a hotel and a residential community in the Marjan Islands.
“Everyone is there in anticipation that RAK’s tourism will explode with the new Wynn Casino. It’s about gaming, the shows, the hotels. You’re essentially bringing a mini-Vegas to Ras Al Khaimah.“
Details on the New Casino and Resort Near Dubai
Wynn Resorts plans to build a 1,500-room beachside hotel and casino, one of its largest properties. The resort will feature a shopping venue, a spa, and meeting and event spaces. Wynn Resorts plans to open the new resort in 2027, and it will be located just an hour’s drive from Dubai.
This new resort is a significant change for the country, as gambling is illegal under Islam, with violators facing fines and up to two years in prison. However, the UAE seems to encourage gambling to boost tourism and economic development.
According to Bloomberg, the UAE has established an authority to create a framework for legalized gaming, although they have not yet passed any laws to legalize it.
The Al Marjan Island Company, which owns the Islands, is planning to add 9,000 hotel rooms and a similar number of homes. This is besides the 3,052 rooms and 3,000 apartments already present on the site.
Wynn also operates casinos in Macau. UAE isn’t the only country to think of legalizing gambling, as Japan recently legalized gambling, allowing casinos and poker.
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