Wynn Resorts, the Vegas operator opening the first casino in the Gulf, has said that it is “very aware of the sensitivities people have” when it comes to the mega project. While other casinos exist in the Arab world, most notably in Egypt, Wynn will have the first gaming space in the UAE, a country that borders Saudi Arabia, the center of Islam.
Michael Weaver, Chief Communications Officer at Wynn Resorts, spoke with Skift at the Arabian Travel Market on Tuesday about moving into this part of the world.
“It has been really smooth”, he told Skift. “We’ve tried to be very respectful of people and aware of the sensitivities people have.”
Wynn Resorts will operate two separate gaming areas in its upcoming Ras Al Khaimah resort, with a plan to open in 2027.
Bringing in Middle Eastern Visitors
Weaver confirmed Wynn is expecting a large Middle Eastern business at its resort. In January, Wynn acquired Crown London, a small members’ club and casino in the UK capital. It’s not a huge acquisition: Crown London has just 20 gaming tables compared to the hundreds at Wynn Las Vegas. But the takeover is a strategic move by Wynn to draw in more Londoners to RAK.
Weaver explained: “There are many people from the Middle East who go to London. Whether for business or a change of climate in the summertime. We know tourism in London is busy with visitors from the Middle East in summer. It’s totally based on using that [club] to create relationships in Ras Al Khaimah.”
From within the UAE, Wynn expects a lot of business to come from the neighboring emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, not to steal business from them, but to increase the length of stay in the country as a whole.
“In the case of Dubai and Abu Dhabi it’s a staycation, a getaway and how long they’d like to getaway. We’ll be programming the resort to meet the needs of all of those markets, including those in Dubai and Abu Dhabi who want one, two, three, four days away.”
In an investor presentation shared last October, Wynn stated that 90% of surveyed UAE travelers had a positive attitude to the project’s opening and found its entry “acceptable.” For GCC travelers specifically, 81% felt good about the project opening in the UAE.
How to Handle the Local Population
One question mark is how Wynn will accommodate the local population, which make up around 10% of the UAE population.
Asked whether locals would be allowed in the resort, Weaver said, “Certainly.”
He added: “So in the gaming space, who will be allowed in, is a decision of the GCGRA [General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority]. As of now, the GCGRA has said Emiratis thus far will not be permitted to game. But everywhere else [in the resort] would be fine.”
The GCGRA did not immediately respond to Skift’s request for comment.
Elsewhere in the UAE, many bars that serve alcohol have a rule that local Emirati dress cannot be worn inside. Those entering bars are not asked to share their nationalities either.
Wynn Al Marjan Island’s president Max Tappeiner said in a keynote speech that “the royal family could not be more supportive” of the project. RAK’s ruling family oversees the emirate’s government, and that government is part-owner of the Wynn project.
“We were invited to dinner with his highness, and he laid out his vision for Ras Al Khaimah. It’s a true privilege to be part of this. Ras Al Khaimah wants to reposition itself as a destination of true luxury and a must-see destination on a global scale.”
“It has a sense of cultural authenticity you won’t find in the region very often. We [Wynn] completely align with all those values.”
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