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Trade at Casino Canberra has returned to near pre-pandemic levels after a positive end to a disastrous 2020. A strong December quarter means the casino is no longer eligible to claim the JobKeeper wage subsidy, chief executive Allison Gallaugher said in announcement to the Australian stock exchange. Ms Gallaugher said all employees had been “recalled to full capacity”, with the casino now able to accommodate a maximum of 505 patrons under coronavirus restrictions. The casino was forced to close as part of the nationwide shutdown in late March and wasn’t allowed to reopen until early August. The financial damage was significant. The casino, owned by Aquis Entertainment Limited, posted a $2.6 million loss in the first half of 2020 – even with the federal government subsiding most its staff wages through the shutdown. READ MORE Financial accounts show the company claimed $1.65 million in JobKeeper payments in the June quarter. The bulk of the $1.42 million it received in Commonwealth support in the September quarter was via the wage subsidy scheme. Its financial results from the December quarter, which should reflect the uptick in trade referenced in Ms Gallaugher’s announcement, was expected to be published later this month. Aquis’ tumultuous 2020 started with the collapse of a complex deal to transfer ownership of the casino to Blue Whale Entertainment. The termination of the deal cast a cloud over the future of the casino, including a proposed upgrade of the city venue. Blue Whale had spruiked plans to redevelop the casino once the sale was finalised. When contacted last week by The Canberra Times, Ms Gallaugher said: “The redevelopment is still on our agenda and discussions continue in relation to the opportunities surrounding that”.
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Trade at Casino Canberra has returned to near pre-pandemic levels after a positive end to a disastrous 2020.
Ms Gallaugher said all employees had been “recalled to full capacity”, with the casino now able to accommodate a maximum of 505 patrons under coronavirus restrictions.
The financial damage was significant.
The casino, owned by Aquis Entertainment Limited, posted a $2.6 million loss in the first half of 2020 – even with the federal government subsiding most its staff wages through the shutdown.
Financial accounts show the company claimed $1.65 million in JobKeeper payments in the June quarter.
The bulk of the $1.42 million it received in Commonwealth support in the September quarter was via the wage subsidy scheme.
Its financial results from the December quarter, which should reflect the uptick in trade referenced in Ms Gallaugher’s announcement, was expected to be published later this month.
The termination of the deal cast a cloud over the future of the casino, including a proposed upgrade of the city venue. Blue Whale had spruiked plans to redevelop the casino once the sale was finalised.
When contacted last week by The Canberra Times, Ms Gallaugher said: “The redevelopment is still on our agenda and discussions continue in relation to the opportunities surrounding that”.
