$5.1-billion Wynn Al Marjan Island development in Ras Al Khaimah enters final phase

RAS AL KHAIMAH: Wynn Al Marjan Island is dubbed as a “destination within a destination.”

Poised to become one of the most ambitious luxury developments in the Middle East, it is set to blend high-end hospitality, featuring multiple hotels, private villas and extensive waterfront amenities and a sprawling gaming facility.

Developers say construction of the $5.1 billion (Dh18.7 billion) integrated resort has now entered its final phase, with completion and delivery targeted before spring 2027.

Once opened, the project will stand as the largest tourism development in Ras Al Khaimah’s history and a milestone for the United Arab Emirates: its first federally-licensed resort to include gaming alongside hotels, restaurants, entertainment and retail.

Wynn Resorts, the Las Vegas-based operator known for its opulent properties, is bringing its signature blend of lavish design, fine dining and entertainment to the project.

Developed by Wynn Resorts, Marjan, and RAK Hospitality Holding, the landmark project is scheduled to welcome its first guests in spring 2027, marking a milestone for both the UAE's hospitality industry and its emerging regulated gaming sector.

The development reflects the UAE’s broader push to diversify its economy beyond oil, positioning itself as a global leisure destination capable of competing with established hubs in Singapore.

It adds to country’s tourism narrative with iconic architecture and cultural institutions, Ras Al Khaimah — the northernmost emirate — is betting on a mix of beachfront serenity, adventure offerings in its mountainous hinterland and now, regulated gaming, to carve out its own identity.

The resort is located on Al Marjan Island, a man-made archipelago extending about 4.5 kilometres into the Arabian Gulf in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, around 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport.

The project occupies more than 60 hectares on Island 3, making it one of the largest waterfront hospitality developments in the Gulf.

The resort is being developed through a joint venture involving:

As of March 31, 2026, Wynn Resorts had invested approximately $1.01 billion (Dh3.7 billion) in equity toward the development.

The project became a landmark in UAE history after receiving the country's first commercial gaming facility licence on October 4, 2024, from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).

The licence authorizes Island 3 AMI FZ LLC, operating as Wynn Al Marjan Island, to offer regulated land-based gaming under the UAE's new federal regulatory framework.

While gaming will be a major attraction, Wynn says it represents only one component of a much broader luxury destination focused on hospitality, entertainment, dining, meetings, wellness and tourism.

When completed, Wynn Al Marjan Island will include:

The resort's signature feature will be Enclave, a luxury hotel-within-a-hotel occupying the tower's upper floors, offering private arrival, exclusive dining and dedicated leisure facilities.

By early 2026, construction had reached its final delivery phase.

Highlights include:

More than 18,000 jobs have been generated during construction.

Supporting infrastructure is also advancing.

Wynn Bridge, a 548-metre access bridge, is expected to open in late 2026, directly connecting the resort to the E311 (Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road) and E611 (Emirates Road).

Meanwhile, Oasis, a 26-acre employee community, is scheduled for completion during summer 2026. It will house more than 7,000 employees before the resort opens.

Recruitment is already underway, with more than 3,500 food-and-beverage positions planned across the resort's 22 dining venues.

Wynn Al Marjan Island represents one of the most ambitious tourism developments ever undertaken in the UAE.

Beyond introducing the country's first regulated commercial gaming destination, the project is expected to diversify Ras Al Khaimah's economy, attract millions of international visitors, create thousands of jobs and strengthen the emirate's position as a global luxury tourism destination.

With its mix of high-end hospitality, entertainment, conventions, waterfront leisure and regulated gaming, the integrated resort is poised to become one of the Middle East's most closely watched tourism launches when it opens in spring 2027.