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Star Entertainment bets on luxury tourists, not high rollers


Star Entertainment Group’s newest development the Queens Wharf casino and entertainment complex will be geared towards attracting luxury tourists rather than high-rollers when it opens in 2022, according to chief executive officer Matt Bekier. 

Bekier said the shock on the VIP market that covid-19 had caused had forced the company to rethink the target market for its new Brisbane development. 

"That high roller market that built Macau is not going to come back," he said, speaking to Brisbane Times. "If you look at Macau, traditionally you had a small number of very, very affluent players driving the business.

"That is not the business we are building here. We are building a business with a much broader base, with a tourism base, from a wider range of markets."

“What is going to come back is the affluent, sophisticated traveler who wants to explore the world by themselves.

"They love big hotel rooms. They love experiences and that is growing very quickly and that will absorb all of the slack capacity.

Bekiers’ latest comments come only a few weeks after the Crown suspended cooperation agreements with junket operators in relation to the inquiry into whether it is fit to hold a Sydney casino license. 

In other news, the Star Entertainment Group has confirmed that the pandemic has not impacted the timelines for the integrated resorts’ opening. 

"COVID-19 obviously has been hugely disruptive to a lot of people, including us, but I am really pleased to see that this project has progressed according to plan and to budget,” said Bekier.

The company has also announced that the easing of covid-19 restrictions in NSW has allowed them to increase capacity at the Star Sydney to 10,000 from 1,800, while its property in the Gold Coast will now have every gaming machine able to be utilized, and the number of patrons per table increased from 4 to 7.

“The re-opening of the Queensland border to residents of Greater Sydney and Victoria from December 1 2020 should enhance visitation to The Star Gold Coast property. The easing in operating restrictions across all three properties will enable us to welcome back additional employees as well as an increased number of our members and guests to a safe and entertaining environment,” said Bekier.

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