MGM Resorts unveiled new details about its upcoming 1,500-room resort, The Island, on Bluewaters Island in Dubai. The project, spanning 26 acres, will encompass separate MGM, Bellagio, and Aria hotel towers, along with a distinctive spherical events venue positioned at its center. This sphere, though significantly smaller than the iconic Las Vegas counterpart, is designed to offer an equally captivating experience.
At the Skift Global Forum in New York City, MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle played down the sphere’s size, noting it will feature 300 seats and a mini showroom with immersive visuals, a stark contrast to the much larger Las Vegas Sphere. Hornbuckle emphasized that the Dubai sphere would narrate the remarkable transformation of Dubai from desert in 1985 to a bustling megatropolis home to two million people today. He clarified that this sphere would be independently built and would not associate with any of James Dolan’s planned Spheres, despite MGM’s openness to future partnerships.
Construction delays had plagued the project since its approval in March 2017 by the UAE’s ruler, with contractual agreements only recently finalized this year. While Hornbuckle confirmed that development is now progressing steadily, he did not specify an opening date and reiterated that the plans do not currently include a casino, despite MGM’s hopes. He expressed optimism that the region’s evolving attitudes toward gambling, prompted by competitive tourism dynamics with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, might eventually permit casino gaming, particularly given that a large portion of the UAE population is non-Emirati. Last year, the UAE created the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority to potentially pave the way for regulated casino gambling.
Developed in collaboration with Wasl Hospitality and Leisure, a Dubai-based developer with strong local ties, The Island includes several podiums designed to accommodate gaming, should it become permissible. MGM’s interest in Dubai dates back to 2007, linked to a significant investment by a subsidiary of Dubai World in MGM’s CityCenter project, which was later fully bought out by MGM in 2021.
The competitive landscape in Dubai is heating up with Wynn Resorts recently breaking ground on a $4 billion resort on Al Marjan Island, expected to open in early 2027 and potentially featuring the region’s first licensed casino. Caesars Entertainment had previously opened Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai in partnership with Dubai Holding in 2018, but exited the market when Banyan Tree Hotels took over operations in November 2023.
