The Star CEO Scott Wharton has cited “incidents and issues” at the venue as a determining factor in closing the Marquee nightclub.
Marquee, which opened in 2012, was known both for its immunity from the lock-out laws (as it sat outside the restricted area) that affected so many Sydney venues, and for attracting a high-profile clientele. The nightclub was operated by Tao Group.
Wharton stated that he believed it was time to move the venue in a different direction.
“We have a good and long-standing relationship with the owners of the Marquee brand,” he said.
“They are an excellent partner, and we will discuss doing more with them in the premium hospitality space.
“In this instance, it’s about looking at other food and beverage options that will further enhance The Star Sydney as a world-class tourism and entertainment destination,” Wharton continued.
Shedding a little more light on the decision to close the venue, Wharton said: “Incidents and issues have surfaced at times and that creates additional pressures to meet the standards we expect of ourselves”.
“It’s a tough call to make but if we’re going to earn back the trust and confidence of all our stakeholders, we need to assess and react accordingly on how we run our operations,” Wharton added.
The Star also stated that staff at the venue will be redeployed to other areas of operation as a ‘top priority’.
Future plans for the Marquee site will revealed in due course. The larger Star casino remains in the midst of a review by Adam Bell SC into whether it can continue to hold a casino licence, with final submissions due today, 31 August.