Dubai: Revered casino hotel Caesars Palace will begin welcoming guests at its new Dubai property on November 15, the first attraction to open on the $2.2 billion Bluewaters Island.
A spokesperson confirmed the opening date in an email to Gulf News.
Developed in partnership with state-owned holding company Meraas, the hotel will be the only Caesars Palace outside of Las Vegas, with one key feature missing: Unlike its counterpart in Sin City, this hotel won’t have a casino.
However, the hotel will feature a new restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsey, a private beach club and a spa.
Technically three hotels, the new Caesars Palace will have 194 rooms and suites, while Caesars Resort will house a further 301 rooms.
The Residences at Caesars Palace will also have 80 apartments of varying sizes, available for long- and short-term lease.
“These resorts mark the opening of our first non-gaming resorts and demonstrates the strong demand among developers and guests to see our flagship brands brought into new global markets,” said Mark Frissora, president and CEO of Caesars Entertainment, in a statement to the US media.
He added that this would be the first of several projects around the world that will drive expanded growth.
No gambling
One of Dubai’s top tourism officials confirmed to Gulf News in April that there was no intention to legalise gambling in Dubai, despite the imminent arrival of three of the world’s most famous hotel casino brands.
The MGM Grand and the Bellagio, in addition to Caesars Palace, are all set to open in Dubai over the next 12 months.
They are the second and fourth largest casino companies in the world by 2017 revenues.
None of the hotels will feature gambling, however.
Asked if there was any appetite for casinos, which are forbidden in Islam, Issam Kazim, chief executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said that Dubai was interested in preserving its Islamic culture.
“No [there is not a desire for casinos] … We need to bear in mind that there are cultural things that are a priority to us,” Kazim said.
