SkyCity Adelaide Casino, NZ staff face uncertain future amid coronavirus shutdown
Thousands of SkyCity Group employees – 1000 in South Australia and 4000 in NZ – are facing a direct hit as the casino’s operations and restaurants close indefinitely under new government-mandated measures in Australia and NZ.
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SkyCity Adelaide’s 1000 employees and their 4000 NZ colleagues are facing an extended period of uncertainty following the mandated closure of properties in SA and across three cities in NZ to contain the rapid global spread of COVID-19.
The closures followed the Federal Government’s decision on Sunday mandating the immediate closure of all licensed clubs, pubs, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs and places of worship.
On Monday, the NZ government also moved to bring in similar measures, affecting its Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown casino and hotel properties.
A local spokeswoman confirmed SA management had also decided at a meeting on Monday morning to shut all operations, including its Sean’s Kitchen, The Guardsman and Madame Hanoi restaurants, which had the option to do takeaways.
The NZ-based, ASX-listed SkyCity Group is consulting with the unions in SA and expected to finalise a plan for its employees over the next week, it said.
The closure requirements do not apply to construction sites. Hence, at this stage, SkyCity
will continue work on its Adelaide expansion project.
“We respect the Australian Government’s decision to close the Adelaide Casino in order to combat the spread of COVID-19,” SkyCity chief executive Graeme Stephens said in a note to investors in the morning.
“We are now very focused on addressing the welfare of our 1,000 employees in Adelaide,” Mr Stephens said.
In the afternoon, that number had increased by a further 4000 staff in NZ.
“The nationwide closure is an unprecedented change for everyone and we are focused on the implications,” he said.
SkyCity also withdrew the earnings forecasts it released last week, which were subject to its operations in Australian and NZ properties remaining open for business.
SkyCity will provide further updates to the market as new material information becomes available.
Shares closed more than 15 per cent lower at $1.23 on Monday.
More to come