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Arabian Business
17 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Wynn Resorts' Las Vegas-style UAE expansion
The much-anticipated Wynn Al Marjan resort is well on its way to becoming the UAE's first integrated gaming resort, extending the experience to the Middle East and beyond. With construction currently 60 per cent complete, the resort is scheduled to open its doors to the public in early 2027. Arabian Business was among the first publications granted access to insights into Wynn's operations in Las Vegas, to understand how this vast enterprise will be translated 8,000 miles away in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Walking into the Wynn Las Vegas, the opulence and sheer scale is unmistakable – in fact, it is record-breaking, with the hotel being one of the biggest globally. The 50,000 sq. ft. property – encompassing both the Wynn and Encore resort, although different, seamlessly operates as one with a total of 4,500 rooms. The floral (Wynn) or butterfly (Encore) detailed floors hear the steps of thousands of people during the course of the day, from hotel guests to casino players to restaurant visitors and the general public – the grounds are always busy. With a resort of this scale housing thousands of rooms, several restaurants, bars, clubs, a golf course, casinos, swimming pools, luxury stores and more – operations needs to run with the precision of a well-oiled machine – undoubtedly, this takes a big and well-trained team across several departments. A similar operation is expected to translate to Ras Al Khaimah to run the first-of-its-kind concept in the Middle East, also mirroring a scale that is uncommon in the region. Wynn Al Marjan will house 1,500 rooms and the property will span over 60 hectares. From scents, lights and carpets down to the most minuscule elements – almost every corner of the hotel has been designed by Todd-Avery Lenahan, President & Chief Creative Officer of Wynn Design & Development – with every element picked to serve a purpose. The same attention to detail, intricacy (if not more) and process will be applied to Wynn Al Marjan, which Lenahan describes as 'something entirely distinctive for this region.' Wynn's staffing for success Part of the integrated leadership team will also be Max Topainer, former COO of Wynn Las Vegas, who is relocating to Ras Al Khaimah to take on the role of President for Wynn Al Marjan Island – a move symbolic of the global weight being thrown behind the project. And he's not coming alone. A wave of professionals from Wynn properties around the world are already preparing for the transition, with as many as 200 team members expected to move to Ras Al Khaimah within six months of the opening. The full team will be assembled on site, allowing ample time to instill Wynn's signature culture into operations – a value system deeply rooted in the brand. Training, cultural immersion and operational readiness are already high on the agenda. 'The nuts and bolts of how you're really going to run things, the decisions need to be made now and they need to make them when they can think about it and be thoughtful and really make the right calls. You don't want to do it six months before you open,' Michael Weaver, Chief Communications and Brand Officer, said during the tour. 'It's early, yes, but on the day it opens, it has to be perfect,' he explained. Wynn Al Marjan has already opened its hiring portal ahead of time. The hiring process is integral to maintaining the company culture standardised across Wynn properties across the world. Regional touch, global standards While Wynn Al Marjan has the same DNA as its Las Vegas sibling – right down to its high-count bedsheets, floral arrangements and 'Wynn at Home' amenities – it is being designed as an experience that speaks to the region's culture and guest expectations. From the gaming areas to the restaurants, shows and several other offerings across the hotel – the RAK integrated gaming resort will have similar experiences but elevated and catered to the region. 'This is our most culturally responsive room and suite design that we have ever done. We thought a great deal about personal modesty, religious principles and values and even the way people from the Middle East behave and conduct themselves in a hotel room differently than a Westerner or European would,' Lenahan said. Designing for the UAE's cultural context was non-negotiable. Certain suites will be designed in a way where a husband and wife can enjoy their stay without the woman ever being seen, even during room service delivery – a detail crafted to offer ultimate discretion. As seen in the first looks revealed by Wynn last month, the resort's King rooms are designed with distinctive entry vestibules which separate the sleeping quarters from the corridor – a contrast as compared to contemporary resort layouts. The interiors are heavily inspired by regional elements including the artistic and cultural heritage featuring arched forms, layered textures and reflective surfaces. Wynn Al Marjan will also debut a completely separate spa experience for men and women, with no interaction between the spaces, while still offering the same holistic wellness philosophy. The design ethos continues outdoors, with 12 pools including adult-only, family, and children's zones — but no gaming areas by the water, unlike in Las Vegas. Gaming: Separate and regulated While gaming has made headlines, Wynn is taking a nuanced approach. The gaming area will be physically separated from the rest of the resort. Visitors can access every other part of the property without ever seeing a gaming floor. Gaming regulations will be determined by local authorities. The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, established by Federal Decree Law and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, is currently shaping the oversight structure. Entertainment-wise, it was revealed that a custom-made show, currently under development will also premiere exclusively at Al Marjan. Details remain tightly under wraps for now. In true Wynn fashion, no detail is spared. In Las Vegas, the scale of operations is immense – up to 14,000 pieces of bread is baked daily, featuring over 200 varieties, while seasonal ingredients like Japanese sweet peas and fresh produce from France are featured year-round. The resort also houses 10,000 flowers refreshed every four weeks, and 800 orchids, all contributing to its immersive floral identity. Each resort features a signature scent, in similar fashion the Al Marjan signature scent will be created. While Wynn is globally known for motifs like flowers (Wynn) and butterflies (Encore), Al Marjan is set to have a dedicated motif reflecting culture and heritage that will be featured in various elements across the resort. The resort will feature several pieces of art, similar to its Las Vegas counterpart – carefully sourced by Lenahan and the team from around the world. During its opening, Wynn Al Marjan could potentially feature artwork loaned from other global Wynn locations. 'We have a major art story that we will be unveiling as we approach the opening, there will be such extraordinary riches artistically around this property – from incredible antiquity all the way to major contemporary works coming from all over the world that will find homes throughout this property,' Lenahan excitedly revealed. Several exciting developments are in the works, however, details are currently under wraps and will be revealed at a later date. One thing was made clear – what Wynn Al Marjan is set to offer in the region is unlike anything ever done before – the scale will be immense, the details will be intricate and the impact will be immediate.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Eminem publisher sues Meta, claiming unlicensed use of rapper's songs on Facebook, Instagram
Eminem's song publisher has sued the digital giant Meta, claiming the company behind Facebook and Instagram failed to properly secure licensing for music by the Detroit rapper. The lawsuit, filed Friday by Ferndale's Eight Mile Style in Detroit federal court, contends Meta maintains online music libraries with Eminem songs supplied to the public for user posts. Works include hits such as ''Till I Collapse,' which is among the 243 Eminem compositions administered by Eight Mile Style. Friday's filing says previous outreach from Eight Mile Style to Meta prompted the social media company to remove Eminem tracks such as 'Lose Yourself' from its libraries, although karaoke and instrumental versions of that song remain available, according to the suit. The Eminem music has been deployed 'across millions of videos, which have been viewed billions of times,' reads the complaint. Eminem is not a direct party in the suit. The Free Press has reached out to Meta for comment. Eight Mile Style accuses Meta of several forms of copyright infringement. It is seeking yet-to-be determined monetary damages, based on Meta advertising profits, or statutory copyright damages, along with a permanent injunction against the company's use of the Eminem songs. The lawsuit argues that Meta isn't merely allowing posters to include Eminem music in user-generated content — it is 'actively encouraging' them by featuring the songs in its libraries. Eight Mile Style says the Eminem songs are made available for user posts on Facebook, remixes on Instagram Reels and content on the Meta-owned messaging service WhatsApp. Algorithms directly promote the music to users via 'For You' and 'Trending' categories, the suit claims. The lawsuit alleges that Meta accessed the Eminem songs through a 2020 arrangement with the New York digital licensing firm Audiam, which had previously worked with Eight Mile Style. In this situation, the complaint says, Audiam was not authorized by the Ferndale company to enter into an agreement with Meta for the Eminem music. 'Meta's years-long and ongoing infringement of the Eight Mile Compositions is another case of a trillion (with a 'T') dollar company exploiting the creative efforts of musical artists for the obscene monetary benefit of its executives and shareholders without a license and without regard to the rights of the owners of the intellectual property,' reads the complaint. Eight Mile Style, which was co-founded by Eminem's early production team the Bass Brothers, oversees Eminem's catalog of songs published between 1995 and 2005, including releases up through the album 'Encore.' The Ferndale company has aggressively guarded against copyright infringement through the years, most notably in the digital sphere, including high-profile litigation with Apple and Spotify. Facebook was named in a 2013 lawsuit by Eight Mile Style, which alleged the social media service simulated the Eminem track 'Under the Influence' in an ad spot. That dispute was settled out of court. The new Meta suit contends that Eminem's compositions 'are some of the most valuable in the world, and Eight Mile Style is very protective of these iconic songs.' Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Eminem publisher sues Meta, claiming unlicensed use of songs on FB, IG
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rocker Says Tribute to Late Guitar Legend Came ‘Straight from the Heart'
took to Instagram on Monday, May 27 to share a video of himself discussing his recent tribute song to his former band mate . Hagar has previously said that he wrote the song 'Encore, Thank You, Goodnight' with the late guitarist in a dream. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 In the new video clip, which Hagar explained in the caption of his post was shot on the last day of his band's rehearsals for their recently completed Las Vegas residency, he spoke about the inspiration for the song. 'I just thought, I want to say this from the bottom of my heart, that I wanted to do something about Eddie,' he explained. 'From the second I heard he passed, I was waiting for the family and everybody to get together and do the tribute. I mean, hey, I'm alive. I can sing the songs. We got bands. We can all play. And it never happened.' Hagar, however, noted that other members of Van Halen did do their own tributes of sorts, including Eddie's son with , , who played bass in the latter incarnation of the band before he eventually formed his own band, Mammoth WVH. 'I just love what Wolfie did, how he held his record and then came with the 'Distance,' which is the most soulful thing. I mean, it breaks my heart still today when I hear it. It's wonderful. So beautiful,' Hagar added. He also praised the band's former drummer, , although he still holds a grudge against Hagar.'Even Al, even though he left me out of the book, I'm OK with that,' Hagar added. 'Go read my book if you want to know what happened in my era, but you know, [Alex's book Brothers] was a tribute to his brother… It was like a love letter to Eddie.' Hagar then explained how he came up with his new song. 'It's been a long time coming for me. I've been thinking I have to do something someday. So this came, you know, from the dream a couple years ago.' He added that his current guitarist on his Best of All Worlds tour, Joe Satriani, helped him finish the song. 'I just love the way the fans are really understanding it. It's a love letter, too. It's a thank you. It's a tribute. It's a praise. It's everything. It's straight from the heart and it's to kind of close that chapter a little bit,' he explained. Hagar added that he'll 'go out and play the songs for the rest of my life,' but wanted to say it again, 'Eddie, thank you. Thank you for everything. Love you, miss you.' Rocker Says Tribute to Late Guitar Legend Came 'Straight from the Heart' first appeared on Parade on May 27, 2025
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Aurum buy-in to extend 1.6M-ounce Cote d'Ivoire gold project
Aurum Resources has added two new contiguous permit applications to the southern part of the company's extensive tenement holdings, which make up its 1.6-million-ounce Boundiali gold project in Côte d'Ivoire. The strategic acquisition, comprising 316 square kilometres, extends the overall width of the company's current southern grounds to about 52km and should help Aurum expand the project's current mineral resource. The new permit areas span major north-south structural trends directly associated with the area's significant gold mineralisation and their related secondary structures. Aurum's in-country subsidiary Plusor Global inked the agreement with Encore Resources Côte d'Ivoire SARL (Encore) to earn up to 80 per cent of each of the Encore joint venture permit applications, which the company submitted in October 2023. Aurum's share price saw an emphatic 2-cent jump to $0.51c on the news, creeping to within 2c of the company's best-ever price. 'This Encore JV is a highly strategic acquisition, significantly enhancing our position in the Boundiali gold belt with an additional 316 square kilometres of ground that is adjacent to existing tenements where we have already defined mineral resources.' Aurum Resources managing director Dr Caigen Wang ' The terms allow for a focused and staged investment, aligning our expenditure with exploration success. The equity incentives ensure strong alignment with Encore Resources,' Wang said. The joint venture's key terms include Aurum granting Encore a total of 4 million Aurum options upon agreement execution, with an exercise price set at 110 per cent of the five-day volume-weighted average price of Aurum shares. When each permit application is granted, Plusor will earn a 30 per cent interest in the relevant licence by issuing 2M Aurum shares to Encore. This equates to a total 4M Aurum shares if both licences are granted.
The Age
7 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Aurum buy-in to extend 1.6M-ounce Cote d'Ivoire gold project
Aurum Resources has added two new contiguous permit applications to the southern part of the company's extensive tenement holdings, which make up its 1.6-million-ounce Boundiali gold project in Côte d'Ivoire. The strategic acquisition, comprising 316 square kilometres, extends the overall width of the company's current southern grounds to about 52km and should help Aurum expand the project's current mineral resource. The new permit areas span major north-south structural trends directly associated with the area's significant gold mineralisation and their related secondary structures. Aurum's in-country subsidiary Plusor Global inked the agreement with Encore Resources Côte d'Ivoire SARL (Encore) to earn up to 80 per cent of each of the Encore joint venture permit applications, which the company submitted in October 2023. Aurum's share price saw an emphatic 2-cent jump to $0.51c on the news, creeping to within 2c of the company's best-ever price. 'This Encore JV is a highly strategic acquisition, significantly enhancing our position in the Boundiali gold belt with an additional 316 square kilometres of ground that is adjacent to existing tenements where we have already defined mineral resources.' Aurum Resources managing director Dr Caigen Wang ' The terms allow for a focused and staged investment, aligning our expenditure with exploration success. The equity incentives ensure strong alignment with Encore Resources,' Wang said. The joint venture's key terms include Aurum granting Encore a total of 4 million Aurum options upon agreement execution, with an exercise price set at 110 per cent of the five-day volume-weighted average price of Aurum shares. When each permit application is granted, Plusor will earn a 30 per cent interest in the relevant licence by issuing 2M Aurum shares to Encore. This equates to a total 4M Aurum shares if both licences are granted.
