MGM’s Dubai resort is set to open in 2028.
United Arab Emirates.- MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle has expressed surprise at the delay in obtaining a licence for the company’s US$2.5bn beachfront resort in Dubai, which is set to open in 2028.
“There’s a lot of dialogue around that,” he told a gaming industry conference, as reported by Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI). “I thought by now, Abu Dhabi would have ruled on what they were doing.
The resort is under construction on a 25-acre man-made island near Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab. It will feature MGM Grand, Bellagio and Aria hotels. A 250,000-square-foot podium has been built to house a casino if approved.
MGM, partnered with Dubai’s state-owned developer Wasl, applied for a licence through the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), though final approval rests with Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed.
Rival Wynn Resorts’ Al Marjan Island project in Ras Al Khaimah has already received a licence and is set to open in 2027. Wynn has already secured 70 acres for a potential second resort.
Hornbuckle remains optimistic, stating, “If this gets a casino, and I believe it will over time, we think it’s a massive opportunity.”
Analysts estimate the UAE’s gaming market could generate US$5-8bn annually.
MGM’s Dubai resort is set to open in 2028. United Arab Emirates.- MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle has expressed surprise at the delay in obtaining a licence for the…
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