There's been plenty of buzz of late surrounding Atlantis Resorts' U.S. debut since sources first hinted at plans for a $2 billion resort in Ko Olina, Hawaii, at the start of the year.
But after months of speculation, Hawaii developer Jeff Stone confirmed that the resort chain has reached a deal to develop its first U.S. property on the coast of Oahu, Hawaii News Now reported.
Stone told HNN that the resort will be similar to Atlantis Dubai, with planned amenities including a Dolphin Bay and shark habitat, among others.
Designed to attract millennials from all over the world, the resort will also boast hotel rooms with views looking into a giant aquarium. "This aquarium will look as the ocean looks. It'll look as the sea looks today," said Stone more than a decade ago when the project was first discussed. "You'll be able to view it underneath. You'll be able to interact with it, actually swim through it, and you'll be able to learn from it in a natural setting."
[READMORE] READ MORE: Atlantis, Paradise Island Launches $20 Million Coral Towers Renovation [/READMORE]
Earlier this year, sources told HNN that resort would be built on 15 acres of land on the Diamond Head side of Disney's Aulani Resort.
Despite being originally announced back in 2005, the project stalled until recently.
While sources estimated that the resort could be the world's most expensive at a cost of $2 billion, the project's price tag currently remains to be seen.
Regardless, the resort is expected to employ as many as 1,800 people and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for both the city and state. When details were first announced, TravelPulse founder Mark Murphy appeared on CBS News to talk about what was coming:
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