NEWS & NOTES

The number of people working for Macau’s gaming and junket operators declined by 5,200 people quarter-on-quarter to around 82,300 in the three months to June 30, according to information from the Statistics and Census Service. Macau continues to struggle through the impact of Covid-19 and ongoing border restrictions with Guangdong Province and Hong Kong, which saw gross gaming revenue plummet by 97.0 percent year-on-year. • Suncity Group Holdings has provided a US$82 million deposit to Westside City Resort World, a subsidiary of Travellers International Hotel Group, the third deposit associated with a deal to develop and run Westside’s casino hotel for 20 years. Suntrust has until December 31 to raise at least US$300 million for the construction and development of the project, under the terms of the agreement. • Suncity Group has been praised by the Chinese central government’s Liaison Office to Macau for its efforts to fight the coronavirus. A certificate recognized Suncity’s MOP30 million ($3.7 million) donation to Hubei Province to purchase medical equipment. The company also bought 20,000 surgical masks, while Suncity head Alvin Chau donated another MOP 30 million and about 60,000 respirators. The government said the response showed “the patriotic spirit of Macau compatriots.” • Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City in California held a job fair July 27, seeking to fill more than 500 positions as it prepares for its grand opening later this fall. Applicants were required to wear face coverings and be prepared to have their temperature taken. • Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. will not pay one of the two discretionary bonuses it typically gives each year to eligible staff at the senior management level and below. Those at the assistant vice president level and above will not receive an annual bonuses, and annual salary reviews will be delayed to April 2021, all due to the impact of the coronavirus. • Last week, Atlantic City got one step closer to having a permanent law permitting open containers of alcoholic beverages in the Tourism District after approval by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee. The state Assembly passed the bill 78-0 in June, and the full Senate is expected to pass it too. • The reopening of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino in Hogansburg, New York planned for August 3 has been delayed after a spike in Covid-19 cases in the area. The tentative reopening date, by order of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council, is now August 28. • Those hoping to visit the Sky Dancer Casino and Hotel in North Dakota will have to wait a little while longer. The casino closed March 20 and will remain closed until further notice, according to Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Tribal Chairman Jamie Azure. The property may reopen its hotel and allow its restaurants to offer curbside pickup. • The AU$330 million upgrade of SkyCity Adelaide will include the opening of four new restaurants and two new bars, all with access to a 7,500-bottle master cellar dominated by South Australian wines. SkyCity Entertainment Group said the property, which plans to relaunch in late 2020, will feature the “jewel in the crown,” a rooftop bar and restaurant called Sol. SkyCity Adelaide General Manager David Christian said the investment will “not only transform our entertainment and tourism industry, but also offering the hospitality industry some incredible recruitment opportunities, with the SkyCity workforce set to expand by approximately 700 employees by the middle of next year.” • The Oneida Indian Nation opened the Lake House Casino in Sylvan Beach, New York on July 27. The venue features 100 slot machines, along with a restaurant and two bars. Oneida Guest Experience Director Dan Jones said visitors must abide by the nation’s “Safer Together” guidelines. Those include a screening process, mandatory face coverings on the gaming floor, and operating at 50 percent capacity. • The Japanese government is planning to study the impact of Covid-19 on gambling addiction. In a 2017 survey, the government found that 3.6 percent of the Japanese adult population had dealt with gambling addiction at some point in their lives; there are concerns that the stay-at-home orders have led to an expansion of online gaming and with it, gambling addiction. • A new IR Promotion Council in Wakayama, Japan recently hosted a lecture by the Suncity Group, the first in a series of lectures and study sessions related to hosting an integrated resort in the prefecture. Suncity projected that a Wakayama IR could attract more than 10 million visitors annually. Aside from Suncity, a rival bid led by the Clairvest Group of Canada is also looking to bid on an IR in Wakayama. • All visitors to Malaysia’s Resorts World Genting will be required to wear a face mask starting this month, the company has announced. The Malaysian government has mandated that face masks be worn in public spaces. “Anyone who does not wear a face mask will be denied entry to the resort,” according to a statement from Genting Malaysia, operator of the resort which reopened June 19, almost three months to the day after closing its doors. •   Seneca Resorts & Casinos in New York State announced last week that all entertainment shows have been postponed through October. This includes shows scheduled at the Seneca Niagara Event Center, Seneca Niagara Bear’s Den Showroom and Seneca Allegany Event Center. • Seven Clans Casino, Red Lake in Red Lake, Minnesota reopened to the public on Friday, July 31. Masks are required for all guests and employees on the property, along with temperature checks on entry with newly installed automatic rapid infrared thermal cameras. Hand-sanitizing stations are located at each entry, food venue and throughout the properties. • Grand Sierra Resort & Casino’s canine security officer, Sahara, will receive a bullet- and stab-proof vest from the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s Inc. Sahara is the first four-legged addition to GSR’s security team, and has worked with Officer Keisha Mayes since 2019 to ensure the safety of all guests. • Fremont Street Experience President and CEO Patrick Hughes will resign as head of the Downtown Las Vegas entertainment district effective October 31. It’s reported that the FSE and its board, which is comprised principally of the area’s casino operators, will conduct a search for his replacement over the next few months.