RAK Central is Marjan’s emerging mixed-use urban district in Ras Al Khaimah, with 8.37 million sq ft of planned gross floor area across offices, homes, hospitality, retail, education and civic uses. Its enabling infrastructure is already complete, while the first major buildings remain under construction. Oplus International Realty explains what exists now, what is still planned and what buyers should verify.

RAK Central Master Plan at a Glance

Detail	Current Verified Position
Master developer	Marjan
Location	Sheikh Mohammed bin Salem Al Qasimi Street, Ras Al Khaimah
Land area	Approx. 288,000 sqm / 3.1M sq ft
Planned GFA	8.37M sq ft
Current sellable plots shown	32
Core uses	Offices, residences, hospitality, retail, F&B, education, culture
Main office anchor	RAK Central Square
Office complex	5 buildings
Workspace in RAK Central Square	2.27M sq ft
Latest planned office opening	Q4 2027
Infrastructure	Completed
Residential development	Multiple third-party projects under development

This corrects one major error in the earlier edition of this guide.

RAK Central is not 3.1 million square metres.

The current Marjan masterplan states approximately 288,000 square metres, equivalent to roughly 3.1 million square feet of land, with 8.37 million square feet of gross floor area.

What Is RAK Central?

RAK Central is being developed by Marjan as a new urban centre for Ras Al Khaimah.

Unlike Al Marjan Island, which is heavily oriented toward beachfront hospitality and residential development, RAK Central is designed around a broader:

work + live + learn + play

model.

The current masterplan combines:

• Grade-A commercial districts;
• residential neighbourhoods;
• retail and dining;
• hotels;
• cultural and civic zones;
• university uses;
• parks and landscaped spaces;
• walkable streets;
• cycling infrastructure.

That makes RAK Central more comparable with a developing central business district than with a single residential project.

Where Is RAK Central?

RAK Central sits along Sheikh Mohammed bin Salem Al Qasimi Street, close to:

• Al Hamra Village;
• Al Hamra Golf Club;
• Al Hamra Mall;
• Al Marjan Island;
• E11.

Its location gives it an important role between Ras Al Khaimah’s existing Al Hamra residential/tourism corridor and newer coastal developments.

That distinction matters for buyers.

Buying in RAK Central means buying into a developing business-and-residential district, not directly into Al Marjan Island.

Is RAK Central the Same as Al Marjan Island?

No.

RAK Central and Al Marjan Island are separate Marjan master developments.

RAK Central

Primarily planned around:

• business;
• Grade-A offices;
• residences;
• hotels;
• urban retail;
• education;
• civic and cultural uses.

Al Marjan Island

Primarily associated with:

• island waterfront residences;
• resorts;
• beaches;
• hospitality;
• branded residences;
• Wynn Al Marjan Island.

The two are geographically close, but a property should not be classified under both areas simply because marketing material refers to nearby Al Marjan Island.

This distinction is important when comparing listings and project data.

RAK Central Infrastructure Is Already Complete

A major change since the original version of this article is that the district’s enabling infrastructure is no longer merely planned.

Marjan announced completion of RAK Central infrastructure works in September 2025.

Completed works include core wet and dry infrastructure such as:

• water;
• sewerage;
• stormwater;
• firefighting networks;
• electricity;
• street lighting;
• roads;
• cycle tracks;
• landscaping;
• green spaces.

That does not mean RAK Central itself is completed.

It means the master infrastructure is ready for individual developers and building projects to progress.

Those are two different milestones.

What Is Still Under Construction?

Many of the buildings.

This is the most important distinction for anyone buying property here.

The infrastructure may be complete while:

• offices;
• residential towers;
• hotels;
• shops;
• surrounding plots;

remain under construction for several more years.

A buyer should therefore never interpret:

“RAK Central infrastructure complete”

as:

“RAK Central community complete.”

RAK Central Square: The Main Office Anchor

The commercial heart of the district is RAK Central Square.

Marjan’s latest construction update describes it as Ras Al Khaimah’s first luxury Grade-A office complex.

The development is planned to deliver approximately:

2.27 million sq ft of workspace

across:

five buildings.

Typical large office floorplates are expected to be around:

16,000 sq ft.

Marjan also states that the project is targeting LEED Gold design standards.

When Will RAK Central Square Open?

The latest Marjan construction update reviewed for this guide, dated May 2026, states that RAK Central Square is progressing toward a:

Q4 2027 opening.

Structural works were already significantly advanced at the time of that update, with top-out targeted during Q4 2026.

This is more current than the old Oplus article’s generic statement that RAK Central would open in 2026.

For buyers, the correct interpretation is:

the district is being activated in phases.

There is no single date when every RAK Central office, apartment, hotel and retail space opens simultaneously.

How Large Is the Residential Component?

Marjan’s development announcements have consistently positioned RAK Central as containing more than 4,000 residential apartments when fully developed.

But these are not 4,000 apartments being built and sold directly by Marjan in one tower.

Residential plots are being developed by multiple developers.

That changes the due-diligence process.

A buyer must evaluate both:

RAK Central as master community

and:

the individual developer and building.

Current RAK Central Residential Projects

The market has now moved well beyond masterplan land sales.

Current projects include examples such as:

• One Central by Pantheon Development;
• Azure by Lapis;
• Colibri Views by Major Developments;
• Radisson Blu Residences by BNW Developments.

These projects are not interchangeable.

Their entry prices, property types, completion dates, furnishing and payment plans differ substantially.

One Central by Pantheon

Pantheon Development currently publishes One Central as a RAK Central residential development offering studios, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments.

Official project information currently gives:

Starting price: AED 699,900

Completion: Q4 2027

The published payment sequence includes:

• 20% down payment;
• 35% before handover;
• 5% on handover;
• 40% post-handover.

Why One Central is relevant

Its Q4 2027 completion currently places it among the earlier residential delivery schedules in RAK Central.

And the post-handover component creates a different cash-flow structure from projects requiring most of the purchase price before completion.

The buyer still needs to verify the exact unit and current schedule before reservation.

Azure by Lapis

Azure by Lapis is currently tracked by Oplus.

LAPIS Properties’ own project information identifies Azure as being in RAK Central, Ras Al Khaimah.

Current developer information shows:

Starting from AED 790,000

75/25 payment plan

Q4 2028 completion

with apartments and penthouses.

Oplus’s current detailed record starts from approximately:

496 sq ft

and includes:

studio through 3-bedroom layouts.

Important location note

Azure should be classified consistently under RAK Central.

It should not be treated as an Al Marjan Island property solely because Al Marjan Island is nearby.

Entity consistency matters both to buyers and to search engines.

Colibri Views

Colibri Views by Major Developments is another current RAK Central residential tower.

Major Developments currently confirms:

RAK Central location

and:

Q4 2028 handover.

The project is positioned around residential and wellness-oriented amenities with views toward:

• the Arabian Gulf;
• Al Hamra Golf Course;
• the wider RAK Central/Al Marjan corridor.

Current marketplace project databases show studio, 1BR and 2BR inventory.

Before buying, verify the latest:

• exact price;
• furnishing;
• payment schedule;
• unit area;

directly against the current developer documents.

Radisson Blu Residences at RAK Central

One of the most significant 2026 additions is Radisson Blu Residences by BNW Developments.

BNW currently publishes:

222 residential apartments

with:

starting prices from AED 1.12M

and:

Q4 2029 handover.

The adjacent Radisson Blu hotel component is planned with:

361 hotel keys.

This creates a very different proposition from a standard unbranded apartment tower.

Buyers should investigate:

• brand/management agreement;
• service charges;
• residence services;
• usage restrictions;
• rental-management arrangements;
• furnishing;
• ongoing brand-related costs.

A branded residence should never be compared with an ordinary apartment using headline price alone.

RAK Central Project Comparison

Current published starting references show how broad the market already is:

Project	From	Current Delivery Reference
One Central	AED 699,900	Q4 2027
Azure by Lapis	AED 790,000	Q4 2028
Colibri Views	Verify current unit	Q4 2028
Radisson Blu Residences	AED 1.12M	Q4 2029

These are project-level starting references.

They are not confirmation that a specific unit remains available at that price today.

The Handover Difference Matters

A buyer deciding between these projects can face more than two years of difference in scheduled completion.

One Central

Q4 2027

Azure

Q4 2028

Colibri Views

Q4 2028

Radisson Blu Residences

Q4 2029

That changes:

• construction exposure;
• cash-flow timing;
• potential occupancy;
• potential leasing start;
• future competing supply.

A project completing earlier is not automatically better.

But delivery timing should never be hidden behind the same “RAK Central investment” label.

Is RAK Central Good for People Working in Ras Al Khaimah?

This is where the masterplan becomes particularly interesting.

RAK Central is explicitly being built around business demand.

The office district is intended to attract regional and international companies while providing nearby:

• residential property;
• hotels;
• restaurants;
• retail;
• leisure.

If that business ecosystem develops as planned, some future residential demand may come from people who actually work inside or around the district.

But this is still a future-demand hypothesis.

Do not convert it into a guaranteed rental yield.

What About Al Hamra Village?

Al Hamra Village is immediately relevant because it provides an established residential alternative beside the developing district.

Al Hamra currently describes Al Hamra Greens as facing:

• Al Hamra Golf Club on one side;
• RAK Central on the other.

That gives a buyer an important comparison.

RAK Central

Newer district, more construction, future business-centre positioning.

Al Hamra Village

More established residential, golf, retail, marina and hospitality environment.

A buyer should compare both if daily livability today is as important as future district development.

RAK Central vs Al Marjan Island

These areas should serve different initial buyer priorities.

Start with RAK Central if:

You want:

• emerging CBD exposure;
• proximity to offices;
• urban mixed-use development;
• apartment projects around a future commercial centre.

Start with Al Marjan Island if:

You want:

• direct island environment;
• resort and hospitality concentration;
• beaches;
• Wynn proximity;
• broad branded-residence inventory.

Use the Al Marjan Island projects comparison for the second route.

But make sure every project in that comparison is physically located on Al Marjan Island rather than merely nearby.

Is Wynn a RAK Central Investment Guarantee?

No.

Wynn Al Marjan Island is an important Ras Al Khaimah tourism development.

RAK Central is close enough that tourism growth, hospitality activity and business services can be relevant to the broader economic context.

But proximity cannot prove:

• 15% appreciation;
• 20% returns;
• guaranteed occupancy;
• guaranteed rental demand.

The old edition of this article used 15–20% return expectations.

Those projections have been removed.

RAK Central Has a Different Demand Thesis From Al Marjan

The strongest potential demand argument for RAK Central is not simply:

“Wynn is nearby.”

It is the district’s own planned employment and business base.

If the office district attracts companies, workers and business travel, that can create potential demand for:

• apartments;
• hotels;
• restaurants;
• local services.

That is a more logically connected thesis.

It still needs to be proven over time through actual occupancy and transaction data.

Residential Buyers Must Watch Future Supply

More than 4,000 residences are planned across the wider district.

That means buyers should examine supply.

A studio owner may eventually compete with:

• hundreds of studios in the same project;
• studios in neighbouring RAK Central projects;
• Al Hamra inventory;
• Al Marjan apartments;
• other RAK communities.

A large masterplan can create demand and supply simultaneously.

Never analyse only one side.

What Does “Sold-Out Plots” Actually Mean?

Earlier RAK Central coverage focused heavily on land plots being absorbed by developers.

That is evidence of developer interest in land.

It does not mean:

residential apartments are sold out.

Those are separate markets.

Plot acquisition by sub-developers is the beginning of future apartment and hotel supply.

A residential buyer should therefore interpret developer land absorption as:

evidence of development activity

rather than:

evidence of scarce finished apartments.

RAK Central for Office Buyers

Commercial property needs a different framework from residential investment.

Before considering an office, investigate:

• shell-and-core or fitted status;
• office size;
• parking allocation;
• service charges;
• licensing requirements;
• expected completion;
• floorplate;
• tenant demand;
• lease terms;
• developer;
• building management.

The completion of RAK Central Square will provide important evidence about the district’s real office market.

Until then, future office-rent assumptions remain projections.

Is RAK Central Freehold?

Marjan has promoted freehold development opportunities within the district.

For a residential buyer, however, ownership status should be confirmed for the exact project and unit through the relevant contractual and registration documents.

Do not rely on the masterplan’s broad freehold positioning as a substitute for transaction-level verification.

Which Current RAK Central Project Is Cheapest?

Using currently published developer starting references:

One Central — AED 699,900

is below:

Azure — AED 790,000

and:

Radisson Blu Residences — AED 1.12M.

But this is not yet a like-for-like comparison.

You still need:

• area;
• furnishing;
• bedroom type;
• floor;
• view;
• payment schedule.

A smaller AED699K studio may be more expensive per square foot than a larger AED790K studio.

Only the exact unit can answer that.

Payment Plan Comparison

Payment schedules currently vary considerably.

One Central

A published sequence with 40% post-handover.

Azure

75/25.

Radisson Blu Residences

Current developer information includes a schedule culminating in a substantial amount on completion.

There is no universal:

“RAK Central payment plan.”

Every project needs a separate cash-flow calculation.

Why Post-Handover Is Not Automatically Better

A post-handover plan can reduce the amount needed by completion.

But buyers should ask:

• when post-handover payments begin;
• how frequent they are;
• whether the property can be rented during this period;
• whether assignment/resale restrictions apply;
• whether financing is available;
• what happens after payment default.

Payment flexibility and investment quality are different concepts.

Five Checks Before Buying in RAK Central

1. Verify the project’s actual location

Do not confuse RAK Central with Al Marjan Island.

2. Verify the current unit

Starting prices are not availability.

3. Check construction and handover

Master infrastructure completion does not equal project completion.

4. Calculate future competition

Look at similar units delivering around the same date.

5. Separate business-growth expectations from guaranteed returns

RAK Central can develop successfully without every apartment producing exceptional investment performance.

Who Should Shortlist RAK Central?

RAK Central deserves closer investigation if you:

• want apartment exposure near RAK’s emerging commercial core;
• are comfortable with an under-development district;
• can hold through a 2027–2029 project timeline;
• value proximity to Al Hamra and Al Marjan;
• prefer a mixed-use urban environment over a purely resort-led development.

Who Should Compare Another RAK Area?

Compare alternatives if:

• you need a completed community today;
• you want a villa rather than an apartment;
• direct beachfront living is the main goal;
• immediate rental income is required;
• large-scale construction around the property is unacceptable.

For existing waterfront/community alternatives, compare Al Marjan Island and Mina.

RAK Central Verdict

RAK Central has progressed materially since its launch.

The infrastructure is complete.

Residential developers are active.

Branded hospitality has entered the district.

And RAK Central Square is advancing toward a planned Q4 2027 opening.

But the district itself is not finished.

That makes the strongest 2026 buyer question:

Am I comfortable buying into a functioning infrastructure platform several years before the full urban district matures?

If yes, compare the exact projects.

If no, established communities such as Al Hamra Village or completed RAK waterfront property deserve stronger consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Compare Current RAK Central Property

Start with the current Oplus project database and compare:

exact price → area → AED/sq ft → payment schedule → completion → developer → future supply.

For a currently tracked RAK Central project, review Azure by Lapis.

For an established neighbouring community, review the Al Hamra developer and community portfolio.

If you’re deciding between two RAK Central projects, speak to an Oplus property adviser and compare the actual current units rather than masterplan averages.

Masterplan and construction status reviewed: 10 September 2026
Current project information reviewed: 10 September 2026
Editorial review: Oplus International Realty Editorial Team

Sources

• Marjan — RAK Central Masterplan
• Marjan — RAK Central infrastructure completion update
• Marjan — RAK Central Square construction update, May 2026
• Pantheon Development — One Central
• LAPIS Properties — Azure by Lapis
• Major Developments — Colibri Views
• BNW Developments / Radisson Hotel Group — Radisson Blu Hotels & Residences RAK Central