NZ SkyCity Entertainment Group Re-Opened Its Auckland Casino

SkyCity Entertainment Group announced in a filing to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) Sunday its casino and entertainment facilities in Auckland will re-open in a staged manner starting from midday on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

Mass Gatherings and Physical Distancing Requirements

SkyCity released its decision to re-open following the announcement from the government in New Zealand on March 5 to ease restrictions and move to Alert 2 Level in Auckland, while the rest of the country moves to Alert 1 Level, effective Sunday March 7.

The casino operator shut down operations of its venues earlier in March, after the government imposed another lockdown in Auckland as a response to a discovery of another coronavirus case in the local community, effective for 7 days starting February 28.

SkyCity released a statement on its website about the property closure in Auckland and the operational restrictions implemented on its properties in Queensland and Hamilton. The company’s hotel in Auckland stayed open with appropriate physical distancing and hygiene requirements.

The move to Alert 2 Level allowed SkyCity to re-open the casino and the entertainment amenities in Auckland implementing capacity restrictions and requirements for the physical distancing of two meters between customers, as well as hygiene protocols, while Alert 1 Level allowed the company’s venues in Hamilton and Queensland to re-open and operate at normal capacity.

Further Easing Possible

The Auckland level of restrictions will be re-evaluated this weekend, New Zealand Government announced, noting it would consider moving the country’s biggest city on parity with the rest of the country in case conditions have improved and the risk has been mitigated to a satisfactory degree.

A separate filing to the ASX SkyCity Entertainment Group revealed a substantial holding in the company acquired by AustralianSuper Pty Ltd. The notification indicated the Melbourne-based company from the retirement and pension management industry acquired a 5.01% stake in SkyCity Entertainment Group.