The Island by Wasl (MGM casino Dubai)
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MGM pushes back opening of Dubai resort to 2028

Chief executive Bill Hornbuckle said in April that the resort would open in the third quarter of 2027.

On Wednesday’s earnings call, he said “progress in Dubai has started to gather steam”, with the opening now scheduled for 2028.

He did not give a reason for the delay.

A company earnings presentation specified the launch is planned for the second half of the year.

While no license has been granted, MGM cited “expectations regarding the potential opportunity for gaming expansion in Dubai” in its quarterly filing – a sign the company is still factoring the possibility into its long-term plans.

Source: https://www.agbi.com/tourism/2025/07/mgm-pushes-back-opening-of-dubai-resort-to-2028/?utm_campaign=awa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin

MGM has been trying to enter the UAE since 2006, but something has always gotten in the way. This time seems different.

MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said the company’s Dubai project will finally be ready in the third quarter of 2027. If the timeline holds, it will mark the end of a 20-year effort to establish a foothold in the UAE.

“That building [the MGM in Dubai] is due to complete third quarter of ’27. We are literally up on the fifth floor of the MGM Tower as we speak,” Hornbuckle told investors during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on April 30.

The project is a joint venture between Dubai’s Wasl Hospitality and MGM Hospitality, first announced in 2017. After years of delays and shifting plans, momentum is clearly back. The resort will house around 1,400 rooms across three properties: MGM Hotel, Bellagio Hotel, and MGM Residences.Construction is being led by China State Construction Engineering Corporation under a Dh4.4 billion contract awarded in 2023. The site, located along a prime stretch of coastline, is envisioned as a mixed-use hospitality hub offering high-end living, entertainment, and beachfront experiences.While the resort’s current framework is non-gaming, the potential for a casino remains a subject of speculation. Hornbuckle said the resort is being built to accommodate gaming “if and when” regulations permit. MGM submitted a gaming licence application in Abu Dhabi in 2024, though the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has not approved any casinos beyond Ras Al Khaimah’s Wynn project – due in early 2027.

https://hospitalitycareerprofile.com/mgm-sets-date-for-dubai-resort

https://maps.app.goo.gl/zfzmwzBPbCZQRQqg7

Night rendition of MGM the island (wasl-the island) construction is proceeding steadily with the structure reaching the 5th floor at approximately 30 meters of height (100 feet) spanning over 10ha.

Floor count upon completion:
MGM- G+15
Aria- G+8
Bellagio- G+8

Source: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4syzGWzxoUtH3sNd8

Source: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XbTu3E4nAJLaSeWi9

Google Earth new images were taken on November 5th last year.

It looks like Dubai’s Las Vegas-style island project will launch without a casino.

According to the latest MGM earnings call with MGM CEO, Bill Hornbuckle stated that the amazing USD2.5 billion project Dubai project has not received the green light, and will go ahead without a casino in it.

The first resort to feature a casino in the UAE will be Ras Al Khaimah’s upcoming 1,500 room Wynn Resort, slated to open in 2027.

Sources:
https://whatson.ae/2024/02/the-island-dubai-vegas-style-mgm-bellagio-and-aria-hotels/
https://secretdubai.co/the-island-dubai/