Derek Sands, a former Macau-market staffer, has been appointed as an executive vice president of Wynn Design & Development LLC, for its parent Wynn Resorts Ltd’s casino-venue collaboration in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The role was confirmed to GGRAsia by Wynn Resorts via email.
The parent had said in January that it would team with local businesses – developer Marjan Properties; and hotel and leisure business operator RAK Hospitality Holding LLC – to develop a “multibillion-dollar integrated resort” in Ras Al Khaimah, in the UAE, with its opening targeted for 2026.
It would be located on Marjan Island (pictured), 2.7 million square metres (29 million sq. feet) of reclaimed land already earmarked for leisure development.
JP Morgan Securities LLC said in a January note it anticipated a management contract for Wynn Resorts lasting 20 years, for the Ras Al Khaimah scheme.
According to Mr Sands’ LinkedIn page, he has worked with Wynn Design & Development for eight years, initially in a building services management role in Macau, taking a more senior role in Asia from 2017 until this year.
In Macau, the parent group runs the Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace resorts via Hong Kong-listed Wynn Macau Ltd.
