The project, led by Wasl Hospitality in partnership with MGM Resorts International, is one of Dubai’s most closely watched leisure developments because it combines Las Vegas-linked hotel brands with a prime coastal location in Umm Suqeim. MGM Resorts chief executive Bill Hornbuckle has said construction remains on schedule, with the three hotel towers expected to open in the third quarter of 2028.
The development will include about 1,400 hotel rooms and apartments across the three branded towers, supported by restaurants, beachfront facilities and entertainment venues. The site has been described as a large-scale leisure island spanning about 3.5 million square metres, designed to strengthen Dubai’s position in the high-end resort and entertainment market.
The construction contract, valued at about Dh4.4 billion, was awarded to China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The deal is among the largest building contracts announced in Dubai since the previous property cycle recovery gained pace, underlining renewed confidence in the emirate’s luxury hospitality pipeline.
The Island by Wasl has attracted attention because of MGM’s global identity as a hotel and gaming operator. For now, the Dubai agreement is structured as a non-gaming management arrangement. MGM has confirmed that it is bringing its hospitality brands to the project, while any commercial gaming activity would require separate regulatory approval under the UAE’s federal framework.
Hornbuckle has previously signalled optimism about the long-term possibility of gaming in Dubai, but there has been no official confirmation of a casino at The Island. The company has treated Dubai as a strategic hospitality market, while keeping open the possibility that regulation may evolve. The distinction is important because Dubai has not issued a commercial gaming facility licence for the project.
The broader UAE landscape has shifted since the creation of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, the federal body with jurisdiction over commercial gaming activities and facilities. Wynn Resorts has already secured the country’s first commercial gaming operator licence for Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
That licence has made Ras Al Khaimah the first mover in a sector that could reshape the region’s leisure tourism market. Wynn Al Marjan Island is being developed with local partners Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding and is expected to include a major hotel, restaurants, retail, entertainment and gaming facilities. Its progress is being watched by developers, regulators and rival operators across the Gulf.
Dubai’s approach appears more measured. The emirate has built its visitor economy around aviation, retail, hotels, events, luxury property and family-oriented attractions. The Island by Wasl fits that model even without gaming, as it adds globally recognised hotel names to a coastline already anchored by landmarks such as Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah.
The project also lands at a time when Dubai’s tourism numbers remain strong. Hotel occupancy across the UAE has been supported by international arrivals, domestic staycations, conferences and major events. Dubai has continued to add luxury rooms while maintaining high average rates, helped by demand from Europe, South Asia, the Gulf, Russia, China and Africa.
For Wasl, the development expands a portfolio that includes residential, commercial and hospitality assets across Dubai. Its partnership with MGM gives the project global brand recognition, while MGM gains a foothold in one of the world’s most competitive tourism markets without committing to direct casino operations at launch.
The three hotel brands carry distinct positioning. Bellagio is associated with luxury hospitality and resort-style experiences, MGM Grand with large-scale entertainment, and Aria with contemporary design and premium urban stays. Bringing all three to one site gives The Island by Wasl a multi-brand structure aimed at different guest segments, from leisure travellers to meetings and events visitors.
The construction timeline also reflects the complexity of delivering a man-made island resort with multiple towers, hospitality facilities and public-facing leisure areas. Large coastal projects in Dubai typically require extensive marine works, infrastructure integration, transport planning and phased fit-out before opening.
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