Wynn Resorts’ under-development Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains on track to open in Q1 of 2027, with more than half the structural concrete for the facility now complete.
Announced in January 2022, Wynn Al Marjan Island will be the first integrated resort in the UAE. The project is expected to cost approximately $5.10 billion (£4.07 billion/€4.90 billion), exceeding its initial projections of $3.90 billion.
Wynn issues regular updates on the progress of the project, with the latest coming last night (21 November). This confirms 55% of the structural concrete is complete, up to the 26th floor of the main resort tower. Walls also extend to the 29th floor.
According to Wynn, the construction team is currently completing one floor per week, with a topping off target of December 2025. In the last 100 days alone, the resort tower grew by 44 metres.
At present, some 9,100 construction team members are working on location, with over 100 concrete trucks in place each day. Wynn Design and Development (WDD) is also employing more than 90 architects, designers and creative visionaries to oversee the project.
Wynn aims to create a new category of luxury
Once complete, the resort will offer 1,542 rooms and suites within the resort tower. To date, the tower structure has been completed for 1,121 guest rooms, or 73% of all rooms.
Work is currently under way on fitting out approximately 820 rooms. This includes the walls, floors, and ceilings, as well as all mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. In addition, work on installing elevators and escalators commenced earlier this month.
On-site amenities will include some 22 restaurants, lounges and bars, multiple swimming and wading pools, a 15,000sqm shopping promenade, events centre and a theatre. This is all on top of a 225sqft gaming floor.
As for the site of the new resort, it will be located 50 minutes from the Dubai International Airport in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Wynn is working in partnership with Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding on the project.
Wynn moves its pieces into place
Construction work has been ongoing for some time, although Wynn only last month secured a casino licence in the UAE. The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) issued the licence, the first of its kind in the Emirate, on 4 October.
By starting work early on the wider project, Wynn has taken a significant head start over its expected competition although it expects to be joined by two other properties in different Emirates.
However, it could be some time until we know who might join Wynn in the UAE. This week, GCGRA chairman Jim Murren said the regulator will take its time with resort licensing, with the authority “focused on the operators we have already licensed”.
The only other licences issued so far are to The Game to operate the UAE Lottery and a number of supplier licences.
MGM Resorts is another operator that is hoping to launch in the UAE. CEO Bill Hornbuckle revealed at a Skift event in September that plans are in place for a resort in Abu Dhabi, with a licence application pending.
UAE gaming market could be worth $5 billion
After receiving its licence last month, Wynn also set out its expectations for the UAE’s gaming market as a whole. It expects it to be worth between $3 billion and $5 billion, with gross gaming revenue at the Ras Al Khaimah site in the range of $1 billion to $1.67 billion.
Speaking on the group’s Q3 earnings call this month, Wynn CEO Craig Billings described the UAE as “certainly the most exciting new market for our industry in decades”.
He added: “I remain incredibly bullish about the future of our company. We have the best assets in the world’s premier gaming markets and our team is the most dedicated team in the business.”
