The US hotel operator Wynn Resorts’ upcoming gaming and integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah will be bigger than its Las Vegas facility, according to its chief executive.
The foundation construction on the site, according to Craig Scott Billings, will start in the middle of 2019.
“We are advancing quickly on our planning for Al Marjan Island integrated resort in the UAE. We are in the late stages of programming for the resort. Given the pristine beach settings in the somewhat malleable nature of the man-made island, we have an incredible canvas with which to work and design something truly unique,” Billings said during a conference call.
Early in 2023, he hopes to make rendering, programming, and plans more widely available.
The US company’s multibillion-dollar integrated resort will be its first venture into the Middle East and North Africa. The business declared in January 2022 that the Ras Al Khaimah hotel project would debut in 2026. A premium hotel with more than 1,000 rooms, a shopping centre, a meeting and convention centre, a spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, and “gaming areas” are all included in the project.
“We will be driving piles for the foundation of the property in the middle of next year. We look forward to sharing more details with you of this exciting project in due course,” Billings said during the conference call with investors and analysts after the third-quarter 2022 results.
On one of the “exclusive islands,” a new integrated resort spans over 250,000 square metres. It boasts a marina and sandy beaches.
“The more time we spent (in the UAE), the more we believe in non-gaming elements of the (UAE) market. It is a tremendous non-gaming leisure and luxury market.”
“Given it is a man-made island, it is a flexible location. For example, if you want to move the beach, you move the beach. It is a really exciting project and we sought to maximise the relationship of the facility to the surroundings, particularly in the non-gaming amenities like food and beverages and wellness and taking advantage of the unique location,” said Billings.
“We will be operating on our own which makes it quite exciting and it’s shaping up to be somewhat larger than Wynn Las Vegas,” he said, adding that the property will be a stunner.
Wynn Resorts chief executive said they are fully focused on UAE to get it right. “It is a very high return opportunity.”