2026-08-12
Wynn Al Marjan Island, the AED 20.9 billion ($5.7 billion) integrated resort under construction in Ras Al Khaimah, has completed its 550-metre private beachfront and shown it publicly for the first time. The reveal, announced on August 11, 2026, includes three distinct beaches, a sheltered swimming lagoon and a 319-metre engineered offshore reef where coral and marine life are already taking hold. The beachfront will offer 372 chaise lounges, 61 cabanas and three bungalows, one of them with a private plunge pool and butler service. The resort, the first beach property in Wynn Resorts' global portfolio, remains on track to open in September 2027 with 1,530 rooms and suites, and it is already reshaping the investment map of the UAE's northern emirates.
What Wynn revealed: 550 metres of engineered shoreline
The completed waterfront is not a single strip of sand but a sequence of environments designed for different guest profiles. The numbers behind the reveal:
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beachfront length | 550 metres of private shoreline |
| Beaches | Three: Resort Beach, Adult Beach and Enclave Beach |
| Lagoon | Sheltered lagoon for swimming and snorkelling; paddleboarding and kayaking planned |
| Offshore reef | 319-metre network of engineered reef units supporting a new marine habitat |
| Seating | 372 chaise lounges |
| Cabanas | 61 |
| Bungalows | 3, one with private plunge pool and butler service |
The reef is a detail worth pausing on. Rather than simply dredging a swimming area, the developer installed engineered reef units offshore to calm the water and seed a marine ecosystem. According to the resort, coral and marine life have already begun colonising the structures, and osprey nest nearby. The lagoon behind the reef is designed for calm-water swimming and snorkelling year round.
"Our ambition was to create a shoreline where guests can escape, somewhere they can swim in calm, clear water and enjoy the beachfront in complete privacy," said Max Tappeiner, President of Wynn Al Marjan Island.
The first beach resort in Wynn's history, and the UAE's first licensed gaming resort
Wynn Al Marjan Island is a milestone project on several levels. It is the first beachfront resort Wynn Resorts has ever built, a departure for a company whose flagship properties stand in Las Vegas and Macau. It is also the holder of the UAE's first commercial gaming operator licence, granted by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in October 2024, which makes it the country's first integrated resort of this type.
The scale matches the ambition. The development, a joint venture between Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding, is budgeted at around AED 20.9 billion ($5.7 billion). Wynn Resorts holds a 40% stake in the venture and has already contributed AED 3.9 billion ($1.06 billion) in cash, including AED 176.6 million ($48.1 million) in the second quarter of 2026 alone. At opening the resort will offer:
- 1,530 rooms and suites in a 70-storey tower that topped out at 283 metres and will reach 352 metres with its spire, the tallest structure in Ras Al Khaimah;
- 22 restaurants, lounges and bars;
- a theatre, a five-star spa, designer boutiques and event spaces;
- extensive pool areas, a beach club and the 550-metre beachfront;
- a gaming area operating under the GCGRA licence.
Location is part of the pitch: Al Marjan Island sits less than 50 miles (around 80 km) from Dubai International Airport, close enough to draw on Dubai's flight network while offering a quieter coastal setting.
Why the project matters for Ras Al Khaimah and the northern emirates
Wynn Al Marjan Island is the anchor project of Ras Al Khaimah's tourism strategy, and its gravitational pull started working long before opening day. Hotel operators, restaurant groups and entertainment brands have been announcing projects on and around Al Marjan Island, residential developers have launched waves of new beachfront projects marketed on their proximity to the resort, and the emirate's hospitality sector has been hiring ahead of the 2027 opening. Each construction milestone, the tower topping out, and now the completed beachfront, gives investors and operators a firmer date to plan against.
The project also fits a wider national pattern. The UAE has just posted a record year for foreign direct investment, and tourism infrastructure is one of the sectors absorbing that capital; we covered the numbers in our review of the UAE's record AED 177.3 billion FDI year and AIM Congress 2026. A September 2027 opening date means that the supply chain around the resort, from fit-out contractors to staffing agencies to F&B suppliers, is being contracted now, not in 2027.
What the opening means for business
For companies working with the UAE, a project of this scale creates opportunities well beyond the resort's own payroll. The practical openings we see for clients:
- hospitality and F&B suppliers: a 1,530-room resort with 22 dining venues needs food, beverage, equipment, linen, uniforms and consumables at volumes new to the northern emirates;
- fit-out, engineering and maintenance contractors: the 2026-2027 pre-opening phase is the contracting window;
- staffing and training: thousands of hospitality roles will need recruitment, visa processing and payroll infrastructure;
- tourism services: tour operators, transfer companies and experience providers gain a new demand anchor 45 minutes from Dubai;
- real estate and holiday-home operators: the surrounding Al Marjan Island residential pipeline is being sold and delivered on the resort's timeline.
Ras Al Khaimah offers its own free zone (RAKEZ) with licence types covering trading, services and industrial activity, and setting up there is typically faster and cheaper than in Dubai's flagship zones. For most suppliers, the practical route is a UAE company setup in a free zone or on the mainland, followed by a corporate bank account able to handle AED contracts with UAE counterparties.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital sets up companies across the UAE, including Ras Al Khaimah, and takes clients through the full chain: choosing the right jurisdiction and licence for a hospitality-sector contract, registering the company, obtaining residence visas for owners and staff, and opening corporate bank accounts with UAE banks. If your business plans to supply, contract with or operate around the new generation of UAE tourism megaprojects, we can have the legal and banking infrastructure ready months before the demand arrives.
Conclusion
The completed 550-metre beachfront is the most visible sign yet that Wynn Al Marjan Island is moving from construction site to operating resort. With three beaches, a sheltered lagoon, a 319-metre living reef and a September 2027 opening date, the AED 20.9 billion project is set to give the UAE its first integrated gaming resort and Ras Al Khaimah a tourism anchor of global scale. For businesses, the message is timing: the contracts, hiring and real estate around the resort are being decided in 2026, and companies that establish a UAE presence now will be positioned when the doors open.
FAQ
What did Wynn Al Marjan Island reveal in August 2026?
The resort announced the completion of its 550-metre private beachfront in Ras Al Khaimah, with three beaches (Resort Beach, Adult Beach and Enclave Beach), a sheltered lagoon for swimming and snorkelling, and a 319-metre engineered offshore reef. The beachfront will feature 372 chaise lounges, 61 cabanas and three bungalows, one with a private plunge pool and butler service.
When does Wynn Al Marjan Island open?
The resort is scheduled to open in September 2027 on Al Marjan Island in Ras al Khaimah, less than 50 miles from Dubai International Airport. At opening it will offer 1,530 rooms and suites, 22 restaurants, lounges and bars, a theatre, a spa and a gaming area.
How much does the Wynn Al Marjan Island project cost?
The integrated resort is budgeted at around AED 20.9 billion ($5.7 billion). Wynn Resorts holds a 40% stake in the joint venture with Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding and has contributed about AED 3.9 billion ($1.06 billion) in cash so far, including AED 176.6 million ($48.1 million) in Q2 2026.
Why is the project important for business in the UAE?
It is the first beach resort in Wynn Resorts' portfolio and the holder of the UAE's first commercial gaming licence, issued by the GCGRA in 2024. The 2027 opening is driving contracts for suppliers, fit-out firms, staffing agencies and tourism operators, and it anchors a residential and hospitality construction boom across Ras Al Khaimah's Al Marjan Island.
