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Wynn Resorts will operate two separate gaming areas in its upcoming Ras Al Khaimah resort, according to a Wynn VP speaking in the emirate Thursday.
The first is the well-known “main casino” – a 224,000 square feet space larger than the casino in Wynn Las Vegas. The second is a “sky gaming” area on the integrated resort’s 22nd floor, which had not been previously announced.
There could even be a third area in the works for Wynn Al Marjan Island.
“There will be two or three areas when it comes to gaming,” said David Loiseau, the property’s VP of sales during the Exotic Wedding Planning Conference in Ras Al Khaimah, where Wynn Al Marjan Island is a major sponsor.
He added: “We’ll have a sky gaming casino on the 22nd floor and the main casino of about 300 tables. We’re putting all the ingredients together to make sure that entertainment will be at the heart of this destination.”
Speaking about the resort more broadly, the VP said: “Entertainment means a lot of things but when you look at the overall project, it’s a destination. Wynn will feature over 1,500 rooms, 22 restaurants and lounges, a beach club, and a nightclub. Celebrity chefs will come and work with us. In addition, we’ll have shows, we’ll have a theatre of over 900 seats where we can do immersive shows.”
“I’m not saying we’re bringing Las Vegas to Ras Al Khaimah but it’ll be something along those lines.”
Wynn Resorts later clarified to Skift that a third gaming area isn’t planned, but that a second “private” gaming space is in the cards.
“In addition to the main gaming floor, there will also be an upper floor private gaming area, or salon privé, which is common in integrated resorts,” shared Wynn in a statement.
Wynn’s Head Start in the UAE
Wynn Resorts is currently the only recipient of a casino license from the UAE’s gaming authority and watchdog – the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings told investors this month that he expects to be the only provider of gaming in the UAE for years.
During an earnings call, Billings said: “As we keep our ear to the ground with respect to what’s going on [in the UAE], we don’t believe that there is even a deals drop, frankly, for a second [casino] license.”
“It could be wrong, but we have pretty good intelligence. And so, if you just think about the fact that we’re opening in March of 2027, you think about the fact that it takes at a minimum four years to design and build an integrated resort. You can imagine that we’re going to have a very, very healthy lead.”
GCGRA’s chairman Jim Murren said at the Skift Global Forum East 2024 last November that Wynn has the lead on casinos.
“We’ll see other integrated resorts in the UAE over the next five to 10 years, but Wynn has the head start,” Murren said. Murren’s response was to a question as to whether Atlantis Dubai would be allowed to open a gaming space.
The Middle East’s Profound Cultural Shift
The Gulf countries are some of the most nimble nations in the world, willing and able to adapt and change to grow their economies.
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