To visit Finland — named the happiest country for many years in a row — my husband and I traveled by ferry.
25.07.2024 - 18:31 / skift.com / Wynn Al-Marjan / Ras Al-Khaimah / Bill Hornbuckle / Wynn Resorts / Josh Corder
The proposed $3.9 billion Wynn Al Marjan has caused a development frenzy in Ras Al Khaimah, the once-quiet man-made island– located about 70 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport. Just about every major hotel operator has a project underway, and as Bloomberg reported last month, developers have snapped up every available plot.
Much of the excitement stems from hopes for gaming – something that is still illegal in the United Arab Emirates.
Speculation has come from plans for the Wynn resort that show a gaming floor 18,500 square meters in size – bigger than its casinos along the Vegas Strip. The resort has hired a slot machine consultant. In August 2023, Wynn CEO Craig Billings said on a call with investors that Wynn would “imminently” receive its gaming license from the country’s gaming commission. That still hasn’t happened. Wynn did not respond to a request for comment.
MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle also has pointed to a future of gaming in the region. “We think there will be three or four [casinos] in the Emirates. It’s up to each ruler to decide what they want to do and where they want to do it,” Hornbuckle said in October 2023.
But UAE officials have yet to use the word “gambling” or “casino” in any of its communications. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority did not respond to a request for comment.
Around 1,500 listings on the UAE’s largest property website, PropertyFinder, use the word “casino.”
One listing for a $9.5 million villa from Address on Marjan Island promises “casino bliss,” being “just five minutes from the Wynn.” The Address Al Marjan development is a set of luxury hotel apartments, townhouses and villas from Dubai giant Emaar.
Even on the lower end of the market, a $135,000 studio apartment, already built, markets itself in the title as being “near to casino,” and adds: “an upcoming casino in the vicinity promises to enhance the allure of this vibrant community.”
One 39-year-old healthcare worker in Dubai told us he has put all his savings toward a downpayment on a $815,000 one-bedroom apartment at the Address Al Marjan development.
The healthcare worker, who asked that we not use his name because of the sensitivity around gambling in the UAE, said he will pay it off in installments until 2028 when the project is done.
He said he has been told by real estate agents he could double or triple his money once the Wynn resort is operational.
“I think this could be the next Macau; If there isn’t a casino, I would not be doing this.”
The worker added: “I know it’s a gamble, but I’d rather gamble on this than on betting on red or black,” he said. “I’ve worked in Dubai since 2014, and I could work the rest of my life, or I could bet on this project and change my life forever. This
To visit Finland — named the happiest country for many years in a row — my husband and I traveled by ferry.
Jul 26, 2024 • 5 min read
Before Australia’s East Coast burnished its reputation as a haven of sun, sand and sea, it was the temperate climate of Tasmania, the country’s largest island, that lured visitors from across the British Empire. Sometimes called the “sanitarium of the south,” it was noted for its salubrious climes, which were considered an antidote to havoc wrought on delicate constitutions by tours in the equatorial colonies. Some two centuries later, the heart-shaped landmass 150 miles off the mainland’s southeast coast is still seen as a place of invigorating isolation.
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The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers new cardholders a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. Additionally, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus a $250 Capital One Travel credit in the first cardholder year.
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American Airlines will launch a new flight to Turks and Caicos next year, marking the first-ever direct flight from the United States to the island of South Caicos.
Well, here I am again, back in Bangkok, sitting on the same old wobbly plastic stool, outside the same old Chinatown food shop, eating the same old oyster omelet. But there's nothing everyday about this particular dish. Nai Mong Hoi Thod may look like little more than a white-tiled hole in the wall, with a few tables and a fearsome charcoal wok that sizzles and sparks and roars. But appearances can be deceiving. Michelin has designated the restaurant as Bib Gourmand, and its famous omelet—golden, gooey, and studded with sweet-salty bivalves—is a dish of frazzled majesty. As scavenging cats wind between our legs and as tuk-tuks, scooters, and bicycles whiz through air so thick and hot you could scoop it with a spoon, I look at my dining companion, the chef, restaurateur, and writer David Thompson, and grin with sweaty glee. It really is good to be back.
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