SkyCity Entertainment Group has announced it will reopen its casinos in Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown this Thursday 14 May after the New Zealand government dropped its COVID-19 alert level to “Level 2”.
The properties, which have been closed since late March, will reopen in a staged manner with reduced operating hours based on anticipated customer demand.
Entry will also initially be limited to SkyCity Premier Rewards members in certain membership tiers in order to aid with comprehensive contact tracing, while all properties will see distinct zones created on the main gaming floor to ensure less than 100 guests or staff are present at any one time, as per government guidelines.
Reduced seating will be in place at gaming tables while slot machines will be reconfigured to ensure appropriate social distancing is maintained.
As previously reported by Inside Asian Gaming, Skycity recently laid off 200 staff and ceased a majority of capital expenditure projects indefinitely in order to reduce costs. The company estimated a loss in revenue of around NZ$90 million (US$53 million) per month while closures remained in place.
Skycity’s lone Australian casino, SkyCity Adelaide, remains closed.