In 2022, the US gambling giant Wynn Resorts has triggered a lot of excitement by confirming its intentions to build a casino resort in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now, the company’s plans have managed to make a step further.
The Al-Marjan island is set to become home to the upcoming casino resort, which may not be the only property in the area, as the US casino and gambling operator seeks to create a Las Vegas association with the future venture in the UAE.
Craig Billings, the chief executive officer of Wynn Resorts, has already confirmed that the company is proceeding with its plans to introduce gambling in the United Arab Emirates, especially with the establishment of a casino resort. Mr. Billings shared that the gambling giant is set to publicly reveal new plans and renderings of the project over the next few months.
According to official company filings, Wynn Resorts has already registered “Marjan Strip” and “Arabian Strip” as trademarks, which basically means that the gambling operator is not the only company looking to establish a casino resort in the United Arab Emirates. Wynn Resorts, however, wants to make sure it would be the first to make an actual move and, logically, take advantage as the first-mover to do so and attract both local and international audiences.
The aforementioned terms are aimed at making a clear association with the Las Vegas Strip which has been one of the largest casino hubs on a global scale, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world.
“Marjan Strip” Casino Project Aimed to Be Finalized by the End of 2026
As previously reported by CasinoGamesPro, Wynn Resorts has shared that it is building its casino resort project across the artificial island Al-Marjan. The gambling giant is set to spend approximately $2 billion in order to bring its UAE casino resort to life. It is working in collaboration with the local developer RAK Hospitality Holdings LLC, which is set to take care of the construction work of the new gambling venue.
The casino project is expected to arrive in the United Arab Emirates in 2026, with the groundbreaking ceremony set to take place by the end of 2023. The area where Wynn Resorts’ casino resort will be situated is set to feature a range of amenities, including accommodation options, event halls, dining venues, meeting spaces, etc.
According to market experts, the introduction of so-called Las Vegas-style gambling in the United Arab Emirates is expected to cause a transformation of the region’s reputation, because the country has been an avid opponent of gambling due to religious reasons. The final decision is set to be ultimately taken by the country after taking the project into consideration and evaluating the impact that casino gambling is expected to have on its territory.
On the other hand, just because Wynn Resorts intends to use the term “strip” to describe its casino resort project in the UAE, this does not necessarily mean that things would be exactly the same. After all, the Las Vegas Strip currently hosts over 30 casinos, while the Marjan Strip on the Al-Marjan island would only host the Wynn Resorts’ casino, or at least for the time being.
