Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure announces share trading halt, Consentino shows cancelled

Upcoming Consentino performances have been cancelled as Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure halts trading in its shares pending another announcement.

DREAMWORLD owner Ardent Leisure has announced a share trading halt pending an announcement.

Ardent said the halt was in connection with an announcement “regarding further developments in the impact of governmental responses to COVID-19 on Ardent’s business”.

The company also announced this morning that it had made the decision to cancel the scheduled Consentino performances for April 4 to 19 following Australian Government advice against non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people.

“While we are disappointed to have to make this decision, our number one priority is the health and safety of our guests and team members and it is important that we follow the advice from Public Health Authorities,” Ardent said in a statement.

“The continued day-to-day operations of Dreamworld and WhiteWater World has not been included in the advice against mass gatherings and we will continue to operate as normal for day trade.

Magician Consentino has cancelled his upcoming shows at Dreamworld.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation by staying informed through the Public Health Authorities.”

The Consentino announcement is not the market announcement Ardent expects to deliver by Thursday.

The share trading pause follows Ardent losing more than half its value on Monday during the sharemarket’s worst loss in history.

Shares fell 52 per cent by close of trade to 17.5¢ yesterday, wiping $91.14 million off Ardent’s market capitalisation.

Shares were up to 22.5 cents in early trade before the announcement.

Ardent last week withdrew market guidance for its Main Event business, which runs entertainment centres in the US, because of coronavirus.

It said it expects the impact of coronavirus to continue for longer than first thought and that it was “adjusting operating costs, deferring non-essential capital investment, and ­reviewing other non-critical business activities and ­discretionary expenses”.