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Wynn Resorts Ltd., Caesars Entertainment Inc. and MGM Resorts International have brought their brands to the Middle East. Wynn will have something in the United Arab Emirates that its Las Vegas-based counterpart won’t — casino gambling.
The three properties are miles apart and in different emirates, similar to the states.
The opened Caesars Palace in Dubai is located in Dubai, the most populous city in the UAE.
MGM’s development site, located approximately 86 miles southwest of Dubai, the country’s capital, Abu Dhabi, includes MGM Grand, Bellagio-branded hotels and MGM villas.
Wynn’s properties are located about 70 miles northeast of Dubai, in the northernmost emirate, Ras Al Khaimah.
“It’s definitely not a case of the Las Vegas Strip where these mansions are close to each other,” said Brendan Bussmann, an industry analyst at Las Vegas-based B Global, who has previously Travel to the area as a consultant.
The seven emirates are administered independently, which is why the Wynn in Ras Al Khaimah will be allowed to offer casino games, while the Caesars and MGM properties will not.
Ras Al Khaimah
In January, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority announced the creation of a new unit to focus on the regulation of integrated resorts, including hotel operations, meeting spaces, entertainment, restaurants and lounges, spas, retail and gaming facilities.
Wynn CEO Craig Billings is excited about the prospect of the mansion, which is expected to be completed in late 2026 or early 2027.
“We have a high bar, but I can’t think of anyone more capable of raising that bar than us,” Billings said in an interview with the Review-Journal.
Wynn was approached by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority to develop a resort there and “help them achieve their vision of being a tourist destination, and we aspire to do that,” he said.
The resort will be Wynn’s first waterfront property on the man-made Al Marjan Island. It will have more than 1,000 guest rooms, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, a state-of-the-art conference center, spa, shops, multiple entertainment venues and a gaming area.
Wynn will compete with other luxury brands with a total of 6,500 rooms. There are already 2,500 available.
In addition to offering traditional beachside amenities, Wynn hopes to combine with Ras Al Khaimah’s adventure facilities, including access to large sand dunes and a zipline to the summit.
“It’s probably the most diverse geographic location in the UAE, and when you’re in a leisure destination like this, you usually work closely with the local tourism authorities,” Billings said. “The tourism board in Ras Al Khaimah is world-class and you can market the destination. It will be part of our strategy to market the destination at the destination and market yourself within the destination.”
While Wynn is expected to develop carpeted conference facilities in the emirate, like at Wynn Las Vegas, the facilities are also expected to host social events. The wedding industry in Ras Al Khaimah is strong, and the company expects big business with Indian party planners, Billings said.
MGM partners with Wasl
Away from Wynn is MGM’s project — a 2-million-square-foot resort on Jumeirah Beach that was originally announced in March 2017 and is scheduled to be completed in four years. The company did not comment on project delays, but confirmed on Tuesday that development had begun. A completion date has not yet been scheduled.
MGM CEO Bill Hornback was last publicly commenting on the project during the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
“In the UAE, we continue to make progress in bringing the MGM family of brands to Dubai, where we have partnered with Wasl to develop a management agreement for a non-gaming integrated resort,” Hornbuckle told investors.
MGM Hospitality, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International, and Wasl Hospitality and Leisure, a subsidiary of Wasl Asset Management Group, are collaborating on the project. MGM will advise on the project and manage it after completion.
When the project was first announced, Hornbuckle said the resort would feature retail, swimming pools and water features.
“It’s going to have something called a cave, like a diving club, about 7,000-8,000 meters[23,000 to 26,250 feet]with about 15 or 16 different things down there,” Hornbach said. “It’s impressive. We’re actually turning the pool into a diving pool so you can snorkel.”
A water show similar to the one featured at the Bellagio Las Vegas is planned. In addition to its 1,000 hotel rooms and 10 villas under the MGM and Bellagio brands, Hornbuckle said it may introduce a new brand and bring MGM’s Skylofts product there.
According to plans described in a statement announcing the project, the development will include more than 500,000 square feet of theater and restaurants ranging from fine dining to casual, specialty retail, heritage and interactive museums, a beach club and an “adventure area” for adults and adults child.
The new project will occupy the longest waterfront area ever in Dubai and will be close to the iconic Burj Al Arab, a 1,053-foot five-star hotel shaped like a sail.
Hornbuckle said the interior of its entertainment tower, Dubai Ball, would have a theatre that wouldn’t be as tall as the Burj Al Arab, but was “very compelling”.
Caesars Palace Dubai
A representative for Caesars did not respond to inquiries about the operations of Caesars Palace Dubai.
Caesars’ first non-gaming hotels, Caesars Palace Dubai and Caesars Bluewaters Dubai, have a total of 495 rooms, a fraction of their larger Las Vegas resorts. Amenities include 12 restaurants and bars, indoor and outdoor swimming pools (including 5 ice pools) and meeting spaces.
The resort faces 1,640 feet of beach on a reclaimed island.
Like the company’s Las Vegas resort, the Caesars Palace Hotel in Dubai sits in the shadow of a tall observation wheel.
Mark Frissora, former president and CEO of Caesars, said his team expects Bluewaters Island to “grow into the region’s premier hotel, dining and entertainment destination.”
The three resorts owned by the Las Vegas company are expected to market to high-end customers and enter the Indian market.
Contact Richard N. Velotta rvlotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
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