Al Marjan Island

Location

Off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, about an hour by motorway from Dubai International Airport^[1][3]

Islands

Four: Breeze, Treasure, Dream and View^[1]

Area

About 2.7 square kilometers of reclaimed land^[2][3]

Waterfront

23 kilometers, including 7.8 kilometers of beaches^[3][5]

Master developer

Marjan, the Ras Al Khaimah government's freehold property developer^[3][20]

Built

Reclamation 2004 to 2009; officially opened 2013^[1][2]

Largest project

Wynn Al Marjan Island, expected to open in September 2027^[18]

Overview

Al Marjan Island is an archipelago of four reclaimed islands in the Gulf off Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates.^[1] The islands, named Breeze, Treasure, Dream and View, are shaped like coral; Breeze joins the development to the mainland and the other three reach out to sea, about 4.5 kilometers from the shore at their farthest.^[1] Marjan, the emirate's master developer, gives the island 2.7 million square meters of land, 23 kilometers of waterfront and 7.8 kilometers of beaches, about 25 minutes by car from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.^[3]

0:11 Aerial view of Al Marjan Island Marjan's November 2024 film opens its "Al Marjan Island Today" section with drone footage over the man-made islands, showing the circular, still largely empty island labeled "2.7 Million Square Meters" and the resort-lined shoreline.

The island is best known as the site of Wynn Al Marjan Island, a resort that holds the first license to run a gaming facility in the UAE.^[8] Hotels, branded residences and apartment towers fill the rest of the land; Marjan has said every plot on the island has been sold.^[5][3]

History

The project was conceived by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, then crown prince and now ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, with the blessing of his father, the late ruler Sheikh Saqr.^[1] Reclamation began in 2004, using about 3.5 million cubic meters of rock, much of it from local suppliers.^[1] In May 2007 Rakeen, the government's property developer, took over as master developer from the emirate's Public Works Department, and Khaleej Times reported in April 2009 that the last of the islands had been filled, completing reclamation of a project it valued at about $1 billion.^[2] The island officially opened in 2013.^[1]

The first building scheme was Bab Al Bahr, a gateway of six residential buildings, an office and mall tower and a hotel.^[2] The first hotels opened on Breeze island, among them the DoubleTree by Hilton Marjan Island and the Rixos Bab Al Bahr, with the Marjan Island Resort and Spa on Treasure island.^[1] By 2020 the government's media office counted more than 1,600 hotel keys and more than 2,000 homes in operation, with a Hampton by Hilton, a Conrad and a Mövenpick resort under construction.^[1] By 2024 the island had six hotels with more than 3,000 keys.^[5]

In October 2025 Marjan merged with RAK Hospitality Holding, its partner in the Wynn resort, to form one company under the Marjan name, chaired by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud Al Qasimi.^[20]

Wynn Al Marjan Island

Marjan, RAK Hospitality Holding and Wynn Resorts announced the resort on January 25, 2022, as a hotel of more than 1,000 rooms on about 250,000 square meters, to open in 2026.^[6] Wynn's chief executive, Craig Billings, called the island "a pristine setting and an ideal greenfield location for us."^[6] By May 2023 the plan had grown to about 1,500 rooms in a tower of about 305 meters, costing about $3.9 billion, with opening set for early 2027.^[7] Wynn owns 40% of the joint venture.^[10][18]

0:31 Why Wynn chose Al Marjan In a Wall Street Journal report from October 2025, the reporter introduces Al Marjan Island as a man-made archipelago dredged more than a decade earlier, compares satellite images from 2004 and 2025, and explains that Ras Al Khaimah is building the country's first casino with Wynn to draw tourism and investment.

On October 4, 2024, Wynn announced that the UAE's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority had granted the joint venture a commercial gaming facility operator license, which Wynn called the first in the country.^[8] The regulator confirmed the award to The National, which noted that its only earlier license had gone to a national lottery operator in July 2024.^[9] Khaleej Times reported that the license runs for 15 years and is renewable, and that the gaming area would cover 225,000 square feet, about 4% of the resort's floor space.^[10]

In February 2025 the venture closed a $2.4 billion seven-year loan from a group of banks led by ADCB and Deutsche Bank, by which time the cost was put at about $5.1 billion.^[11] Wynn said the tower topped out in December 2025 at 70 floors and 283 meters, and would reach 352 meters with its spire, which would make it the tallest structure in Ras Al Khaimah by more than 100 meters.^[12] In February 2026 the company said all 1,530 rooms were structurally complete, the facade was 83% installed and a 548-meter bridge to the resort was about half built.^[13]

2:00 The Wynn tower reaches its top Contractor ALEC's March 2026 film follows the Wynn Al Marjan Island tower in drone shots as its frame rises over the island to its structural top out, ending with construction crews cheering on site.

Work paused briefly during the 2026 Iran war and resumed in March 2026.^[14] In May Billings said Wynn expected "a modest delay in our opening timeline," with more than 22,000 workers on the site.^[15] With its second-quarter results in August 2026, Wynn set the opening for September 2027, and Gulf News reported that the project's cost had risen to about $5.7 billion.^[16][17] Wynn's third-quarter release of November 5, 2026 said the fit-out of all guest rooms was under way, that Wynn had put $1.12 billion into the venture so far, and that the resort was still expected to open in September 2027.^[18]

Marjan lists 22 restaurants and bars, a 98-berth marina for yachts of up to 85 meters, a 550-meter private beach and more than 7,000 direct jobs for the finished resort.^[4]

Real estate

In July 2024 Marjan's chief executive, Abdulla Al Abdouli, told Khaleej Times that "Al Marjan Island is already sold out," with plans then put at 15,000 hotel keys, 12,000 homes and 450 holiday homes.^[5] Marjan's own masterplan page later gave different totals: more than 8,500 hotel keys, 18,650 homes and 450 villas.^[3] Emaar announced its first Ras Al Khaimah project, Address Al Marjan Island, in 2018, with 249 hotel rooms and 234 apartments.^[21] Aldar launched Nikki Beach Residences, about 800 homes, in November 2023,^[22] the same year Nobu Hotel and Residences was announced with 300 homes,^[23] and Ellington Properties followed its Cala Del Mar project with Playa Del Sol, beside the Wynn resort.^[24] Branded projects launched in 2024 carried the names of Elie Saab, Tonino Lamborghini and Aston Martin.^[5]

2:29 Marjan's chief executive on Wynn's impact In a Forbes Middle East interview from June 2025, Marjan's chief executive Abdulla Al Abdouli describes Wynn Al Marjan Island as an investment by Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding and says its impact shows in real estate deals, hotel operators seeking space and demand for apartments, villas and plots.

CBRE found that prime apartment prices in Ras Al Khaimah reached AED 2,428 per square foot in 2025, the highest of the cycle, led by coastal areas including Al Marjan Island.^[25] On November 6, 2026, the listing site Homes.me showed 35 off-plan projects on the island from 22 developers, with starting prices from AED 600,000 to AED 4.46 million and a median of AED 1.8 million.^[29]

On October 2, 2025, Marjan launched Marjan Beach, a planned town on the mainland facing the island, which Gulf News described as 85 million square feet with a 3-kilometer beachfront, eight neighborhoods, 22,000 homes and 12,000 hotel rooms.^[19]

Tourism and events

Ras Al Khaimah has held its New Year's Eve fireworks at Al Marjan Island since 2018, setting Guinness World Records titles from the first year, including the largest aerial firework shell in 2018 and the longest fireworks waterfall in 2020, before crowds of more than 100,000.^[1] On New Year's Eve 2026 a 15-minute show with 2,300 drones set a record for the largest aerial display of a phoenix formed by drones, with fireworks along about 6 kilometers of coast from Marjan Island to Al Hamra.^[28]

0:01 Record-breaking New Year fireworks The emirate's tourism authority's January 2023 film shows its New Year's Eve fireworks and pyro-drone show over the waterfront, with captions naming its two Guinness World Records titles: the most drones launching fireworks at once and the largest aerial sentence formed by drones.

Ras Al Khaimah received 1.35 million overnight visitors in 2025, 6% more than the year before, and has set a target of 3.5 million by 2030.^[26] It recorded more than 670,000 visitors in the first half of 2026, a record, and Gulf News reported plans for air taxis from 2027, starting at Al Marjan Island, and three transit stations around the island.^[27]

Timeline

1. 2004 Land reclamation begins.^[1]
2. May 2007 Rakeen takes over as master developer.^[2]
3. January 2009 The last island is filled, completing reclamation.^[2]
4. 2013 The island officially opens.^[1]
5. 2018 New Year's Eve fireworks at the island set their first Guinness World Records title.^[1]
6. January 25, 2022 Marjan, RAK Hospitality Holding and Wynn Resorts announce the resort.^[6]
7. October 4, 2024 Wynn announces the UAE's first gaming operator license.^[8]
8. February 2025 The resort closes a $2.4 billion loan.^[11]
9. October 2025 Marjan launches Marjan Beach and merges with RAK Hospitality Holding.^[19][20]
10. December 2025 The Wynn tower tops out at 70 floors.^[12]
11. March 2026 Construction resumes after a short pause during the Iran war.^[14]
12. August 5, 2026 Wynn sets the opening for September 2027.^[16]