Las Vegas hotel brands MGM, Bellagio, and Aria are planned for the plot
Dubai is home to Bluewaters Island, Jumeirah Bay Island, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Pearl Jumeira, World Islands, and Dubai Islands, and now there are plans for a 10.5-hectare island, named The Island, to join the city’s off-shore line-up.
Located off the coast of Umm Suqeim, near the Jumeirah public beach next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and soon-to-open Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, the mega project is set to start construction soon.
Developer Wasl has appointed China State Construction Engineering Corporation to build The Island, according to Meed. The outlet reports that the deal is worth an estimated Dhs4.4 billion and is the largest construction deal in Dubai since 2017.
ther details shared are that the project is planned to include properties featuring Las Vegas hotel brands MGM, Bellagio and Aria, with a combined total of 1,400 hotel rooms and apartments, plus shops and restaurants.
As MGM operates gaming facilities across the globe there is speculation that The Island could be a gaming zone.
It comes after the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) was officially established in the UAE in September.
The federal authority is tasked with introducing a world-leading regulatory framework for commercial gaming and a national lottery.
It will coordinate regulatory activities, manage licensing nationally and facilitate unlocking the economic potential of commercial gaming responsibly.
The GCGRA will create a socially responsible and well-regulated gaming environment, ensuring that all participants adhere to strict guidelines and comply with the highest standards.
It’s been suspected that UAE’s first casino will be located in Ras Al Khaimah’s Dream Island as a Wynn resort is planned to open in 2026.
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Earlier this year, Wynn Resorts’ CEO Craig Billings was quoted in Hotelier Middle East as saying the proposed venue will be “larger than Wynn Las Vegas”.
He also said the proposed Wynn resort will be fully “licensed to conduct gaming” when it does finally open.
News Source: Time Out Dubai