Las Vegas’s Wynn announces UAE resort with gaming facilities

Las Vegas hotel operator Wynn Resorts has announced plans to open a multi-billion-dollar resort in Ras Al-Khaimah, the UAE, in 2026.

The huge complex will have 1,000 rooms, at least 10 restaurants and a convention center on the man-made Al-Marjan island, according to a joint announcement by Al-Marjan, Wynn Holdings and RAK Hospitality.

The new resort “will offer a pristine setting with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf as well as sandy beaches and a marina,” they said.

It will also host a “gaming area,” according to an announcement by Wynn Holdings and RAK Hospitality.

Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings said Al-Marjan island “is a pristine setting and an ideal greenfield location for us to create the one-of-a-kind guest experiences for which Wynn Resorts is renown.

“The region offers tremendous potential for the hospitality and tourism industry, and we are excited about the prospect of developing an integrated resort in Ras Al-Khaimah.”

The resort will be developed with “significant” foreign direct investment by Wynn Resorts, and is the largest project of its kind in Ras Al-Khaimah’s growing hospitality sector.

Wynn Resorts run luxury hotels and entertainment facilities worldwide, some of which have gaming facilities.

Wynn Holdings, Al-Marjan and RAK Hospitality said the resort “will create substantial value to the local economy by accelerating tourism, creating jobs, and energizing the growth of related sectors,” and will be developed in accordance with the most rigorous sustainability practices.

Separately, the Ras Al-Khaimah Tourism and Development Authority has launched a new department for gaming that pledges to ensure “global best practices in the regulation of gaming that operate as part of integrated resorts across various jurisdictions worldwide.”

Its key priority will be to create a framework for gaming, according to an announcement, which added that “the regulatory structure will address the entire gaming enterprise within integrated resorts, requiring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (including financial crime laws) from operators, suppliers and employees.”

Al-Marjan island, just 15 minutes from Ras Al-Khaimah International Airport, is already a leading tourism destination.

It offers nearly 8 km of sparkling beaches, 23 km of waterfront and a host of world-class hotels and residential developments.