How much has the Iran War delayed construction on the first casino in the United Arab Emirates? Only one day, according to Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings.
The casino executive spoke about the progress of Wynn Al Marjan Island — which would be the first-ever regulated casino in the Persian Gulf region — during last week’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, according to Casino Reports.
Despite concerns earlier this year that the military conflict in the region could create significant logical and security hurdles, Billings said the mega-resort is still slated to open in 2027.
Wynn UAE Opening Facing Delays Amid Ongoing Iran War
$600 Million in “Conflict Related” Costs
The Wynn Al Marjan Island would be the first of its kind in the region, but the project hit a setback in February as the United States and Israel went to war with Iran. Construction took a “short pause” and Wynn Resorts announced it was “monitoring the situation.”
But Billings, who participated in a G2E panel discussion with fellow casino chief executive officers Bill Hornbuckle of MGM International and Tom Reeg of Caesars Entertainment, said concerns about major war-related delays have largely blown over.
“We missed one day of construction. One day,” Billings told the crowd, as reported by Casino Reports. “The emirates have done just an incredible job of security. Life on the ground in the UAE is completely normal.”
Though there haven’t been major delays, there have been major costs. Billings said that Wynn Resorts allocated an additional $600 million to the Al Marjan Island project to cover “conflict related” costs, including increased shipping and supply chain costs, bringing the total project cost to around $5.7 billion.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is scheduled to open in September 2027. It had initially been slated to open in the first quarter of 2027.
The soon-to-be “Las Vegas of the Middle East” won’t only serve gamblers. This month, Wynn Al Marjan Island unveiled new renderings of a marina for yachts set to open alongside the resort.
According to Super Yacht Times, the luxury marina will be “the first private harbour in the country where superyachts of this size can directly access the services and amenities of a resort.”
Back in Las Vegas, all is well with the Wynn’s flagship property. Home to the nicest poker room in Las Vegas, the property is gearing up to once again host the WPT World Championship this December, which will culminate with a $10,400 buy-in championship event with $1 million in mystery bounty money added.
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Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.