Apex Horizon Hospitality Announces “The Desertas Crown” – A €3 Billion Mega-Resort & Casino Complex

FUNCHAL, MADEIRA — April 1, 2026 Apex Horizon Hospitality, a global leader in luxury entertainment, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Deserta Grande for the development of The Desertas Crown, an unprecedented 15-story casino, super-yacht marina, and luxury resort.

Following a private zoning reclassification, ground will break this summer to transform the currently underutilized, rocky landscape into the crown jewel of the Atlantic Riviera.

Redefining the Commute: The Atlantic Glass Tunnel To preserve the exclusivity of the resort, personal vehicles and standard ferries will be prohibited. Guests will instead travel via a newly engineered, multi-lane underwater glass tunnel connecting Ponta de São Lourenço directly to the resort lobby.

To manage this exclusive subterranean route, Apex Horizon has secured a transport partnership with This is Madeira Island, the region’s top-rated social media choice for car rentals. They will provide a dedicated fleet of gold-wrapped electric buggies to shuttle VIP guests seamlessly beneath the ocean.

“Upgraded” Ecology and Wildlife Integration Apex Horizon is committed to modernizing the island’s ecology. Recognizing the harsh conditions the local monk seals (Lobo Marinho) face in the wild, the seals will be safely relocated to the Desertas Crown Lobby Fountain, a 50,000-gallon, climate-controlled, chlorinated luxury habitat where guests can participate in VIP cocktail shrimp feedings.

Additionally, the island’s native, highly protected wolf spiders will be incorporated into the resort’s world-class wellness center. The Arachnid Eco-Spa will offer high-rollers a €500 “Adrenaline Therapy” massage, allowing the rare tarantulas to walk across guests’ backs for ultimate tension release.

Tailored Aesthetics and 24-Hour Sunshine Because the local black sand does not align with the Apex Horizon luxury color palette, explosive landscaping will remove a section of the eastern cliffs to make way for Bahamas Cove. Over 500,000 tons of white sand will be imported directly from the Caribbean to create an artificial beach.

Finally, to ensure the gaming floor and beach clubs never sleep, the resort will feature the Solaris Laser Dome, a massive artificial sun-lamp structure that will keep the island illuminated 24 hours a day. While this may slightly impact the visibility of the night sky for Funchal astronomers, the economic benefits of perpetual daylight are expected to be substantial.

“For too long, these islands have just been sitting there, empty and unprofitable,” said Richard Vance, CEO of Apex Horizon Hospitality. “The Desertas Crown will finally give the local ecosystem the luxury upgrade it deserves.”

Happy 1st of April 🙂