Monday, April 16, 2018 | 12:52 p.m.
DUBAI — Dubai's Meraas Holding has tied up with the U.S.-based Caesars Entertainment to manage two luxury hotels, a conference centre and a beach club on Bluewaters in Dubai, adding another big and well-respected name to the emirate's luxury hospitality segment.
Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai and Caesars Bluewaters Dubai will be the first projects for the Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment to operate properties in this part of the world.
The hotels are expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2018. The 178-key Caesars Palace will be the world's second Caesars Palace, featuring three swimming pools, a spa and a health centre as well as six restaurants. The second hotel, Caesars Bluewaters Dubai, will feature 301 rooms, two swimming pools, three restaurants, three meeting rooms equipped to provide business services, and an event hall. According to STR's data released in January, Dubai has the highest number of room supply in the pipeline in the Mena region in 2018 with nearly 36,394 hotel rooms in the construction phase to add it to the emirate's existing supply of 97,736.
Meraas has invested Dh18 billion ($4.86 billion) over the past 5 years in leisure and entertainment projects.
"We are creating unique experiences and leveraging strategic partnerships to showcase the best of what Dubai can offer to its visitors. The landmark arrangement with Caesars Entertainment, which aims to establish Bluewaters as a world-class tourist attraction with exclusive international entertainment opportunities, is a significant achievement for the emirate's thriving hospitality and entertainment sectors," said Abdulla Al Habbai, Group chairman, Meraas Holding.
Bob Morse, president of hospitality for Caesars, told Reuters his firm would operate more non-gaming resorts around the world in coming years as part of a strategic plan focusing on financial centres as well as traditional resort areas.
"We are looking at other locations and actively pursuing opportunities there," Morse said, adding that Caesars had expanded its development team for non-gaming business in recent months and was looking at Asia as well as the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Bluewaters Island comprises 10 apartment buildings with a total of 700 units with amenities include gymnasiums, swimming pools, landscaped gardens, basketball courts and children's play areas.
