[Casino] Message from The Star Entertainment Group CEO & Managing Director

[Timelord2067]

A message from The Star Entertainment Group CEO & Managing Director, Matt Bekier

https://www.thestarclub.com.au/

(From an email that I received today)

Dear Member,

As a valued Member of The Star Club, I would like you to hear directly from me on the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and the precautions and plans we have in place across our Sydney and Queensland properties.

The safety and wellbeing of our Members and Guests, and our dedicated 9,000-plus workforce, continues as always to be our No.1 priority.

The number of people testing positive to COVID-19 is increasing rapidly around the globe. Thankfully, to date, we have had no Guests or Team Members at The Star properties test positive for the virus.

Ongoing vigilance around personal hygiene and cleaning standards remains key.

Therefore, given the World Health Organisation’s pandemic announcement, it’s timely to outline the precautionary measures we are taking to best deliver an environment that you can visit and feel comfortable.

We have significantly increased the frequency and detail of our already best practice cleaning procedures.

This involves an even sharper focus on sanitisation of bathrooms, touch points around properties – from door handles and hand rails to ATM and lift buttons – and even more thorough cleaning of hotel rooms including phones and remote controls.

As part of our precautionary measures, we’ve also this week restricted non-essential work-related air travel for staff until further notice. We will amend our processes where necessary as we continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation.

We have a senior management group meeting regularly on this issue, and we have other teams across The Star Entertainment Group involved in detailed planning to minimise risks.

The Star also continues to work closely with government health departments and officials. We are following all regulations and recommendations from Australian authorities, as well as those of the World Health Organisation.

The Star continues to have visible reminders for all Guests and Team Members to regularly wash hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser, and request people avoid touching their faces.

We provide other information across our properties, including at hotel check-in areas and The Star Club Desk. If you ever have any queries, please do not hesitate to ask.

As I mentioned earlier, our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our Members, Guests and the 9000-plus workforce that continues to strive to deliver you excellence in service when you visit The Star.

We look forward to seeing you at The Star Gold Coast soon.
 
MATT
Matt Bekier
The Star Entertainment Group CEO & Managing Director

Share price on the ASX: https://www.asx.com.au/asx/share-price-research/company/SGR

[Sanitough]

Good thing they aren't closing their business, they'll continue to run the business and while improving the security measures.

This is good to hear, as long as they can do that then they should be allowed to operate as they themselves also understands how much money they will loss if they will close their casino.

[Timelord2067]

[quote author=Sanitough link=topic=5232500.msg54019646#msg54019646 date=1584085071]
Good thing they aren't closing their business, they'll continue to run the business and while improving the security measures.

This is good to hear, as long as they can do that then they should be allowed to operate as they themselves also understands how much money they will loss if they will close their casino.
[/quote]

The Star Treasury Brisbane is in the process of being replaced with a purpose built Casino with it's own entertainment precinct:

https://www.starentertainmentgroup.com.au/starentertainmentgroup/

The Star Entertainment Group (formerly known as Echo Entertainment Group) is an ASX 100 listed company that owns and operates The Star Sydney, The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane. The Star Entertainment Group has also acquired the Sheraton Grand Mirage on the Gold Coast in a joint venture and manages the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on behalf of the Queensland Government. On 16 November 2015 the company name changed from Echo Entertainment Group to The Star Entertainment Group as part of a transition to a single brand architecture across the group. Underpinned by the multi-billion dollar transformational projects planned or in progress at our properties, the unified brand is integral to The Star Entertainment Group’s vision to become Australia’s leading integrated resort company.

The Star Entertainment Group is committed to optimising its properties, supporting the communities in which we operate, and capitalising on the opportunities presented by our world-class locations in Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast. On 16 November 2015, The Star Entertainment Group and its joint venture partners Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium reached contractual close with the Queensland Government on a $3 billion redevelopment of Queen's Wharf in Brisbane. Expected to open in 2022, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane will deliver transformational impacts on Queensland jobs, training and tourism, both domestic and international. The Star Entertainment Group has also entered into further joint venture agreements with its partners to expand and improve the value proposition of our properties in Sydney and The Gold Coast. In Sydney plans for a new hotel and apartment tower have been announced involving an investment of up to $500 million. This is in addition to a further $500 million of improvements and refurbishments to The Star Sydney. Internationally acclaimed architects FJMT won a design competition for the new hotel which will be operated by one of the world’s most recognisable luxury brands, The Ritz-Carlton. The Darling at The Star Gold Coast was completed ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, while in a further joint venture with Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium, the construction of a 53-story hotel and apartment tower will commence this year. Together, these projects and associated works will represent an investment of up to $850 million at The Star Gold Coast.

[Darker45]

Good thing they aren't closing their business, they'll continue to run the business and while improving the security measures.

This is good to hear, as long as they can do that then they should be allowed to operate as they themselves also understands how much money they will loss if they will close their casino.

I am also in favor of keeping casinos and other commercial establishments open for business unless there is really a need to close them down. A lot are now joining the bandwagon, closing up shops due to fear and panic, which are destructive of the economy more than the virus itself.

I appreciate how the management of this establishment choose to continue providing entertainment to their clients as well as jobs to its 9000-plus workforce without necessarily disregarding the fact that there is an existing pandemic out there. I hope other businesses would be as reasonable as them.

[Timelord2067]

I am also in favor of keeping casinos and other commercial establishments open for business unless there is really a need to close them down. A lot are now joining the bandwagon, closing up shops due to fear and panic, which are destructive of the economy more than the virus itself.

I appreciate how the management of this establishment choose to continue providing entertainment to their clients as well as jobs to its 9000-plus workforce without necessarily disregarding the fact that there is an existing pandemic out there. I hope other businesses would be as reasonable as them.

I also receive emails from the Crown Casino in Melbourne, but they haven't made any statement as yet about the impact to their Casino's bottom line.  With three Casinos in their portfolio, I'm guessing the Star Entertainment Group need to be seen to be taking a proactive approach to safety and security.

It isn't just the 9,000 employees at the Casinos affected, but the follow-on with the construction of the new Casino complex in Brisbane, not to mention the hospitality and tourism in SEQ and Sydney.


This is a follow up email (that arrived just a little while ago).

As a valued Member of The Star Club, I would like you to hear directly from me on the developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and the updated measures and plans we have in place across our Sydney and Queensland properties.

The safety and well-being of our Members and Guests continues as always to be our No.1 priority.

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES

The Prime Minister announced last week the cancellation of non-essential, organised public gatherings of more than 500 people and other social distancing guidelines in response to COVID-19.

In line with those announcements we are introducing various social distancing measures including:

    deactivation of every second gaming machine and electronic table game to create additional distance
    reducing the capacity at table games, including increasing distance at seated table games between players and restricting the total number of players at each stand up table game
    restricting the number of guests in individual food and beverage, banqueting and conferencing, and theatre facilities to under 500 persons with limited density for each outlet.

MAIN GAMING FLOOR MEASURES

Table games will be reduced to a maximum seating of five guests per table with no standing players permitted, only seated players will be permitted to wager. The craps, big wheel and sic bo (double sided tables) will be the only exception with eight players permitted with social spacing to accommodate four players either end.

    Only seated players may wager at a gaming table
    Standing players will not be permitted to place a wager
    Standing players will be asked to step back from gaming tables
    Seats at gaming tables will be reduced to 5 with the remainder of chairs being removed from the gaming floor
    Impacted games with 5 seats include Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, Pai Gow, Poker, Poker derivatives and Sic Bo
    Crap tables in all properties reduced to 8 betting positions, 4 positions available on each end
    Queensland properties reduced to 8 betting positions on Big Wheel and Sic Bo due to double sided tables, 4 positions available on each end

The Star continues to work closely with government health departments and officials and is monitoring the situation closely. We have also intensified cleaning and hygiene procedures across our properties.

Further information is available at The Star Club Desk. If you ever have any queries, please do not hesitate to ask.

As I mentioned earlier, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our Members and Guests.
 
MATT
Matt Bekier
The Star Entertainment Group CEO & Managing Director