Star Sydney to Close Popular Nightclub, New South Wales Gets New Gaming Regulator

Posted on: August 31, 2022, 09:30h. 

Last updated on: September 1, 2022, 03:37h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

After a decade of giving everyday people a chance to mingle with celebrities like Drake, Post Malone, and others, the Marquee nightclub at the Star Sydney resort is shutting down. The Daily Telegraph reports that Star Entertainment, the casino’s operator, wants to attract a different type of clientele.

Marquee Sydney
A packed dance floor at the Marquee Sydney nightclub at Star Sydney in New South Wales. The club will close its doors permanently at the end of the year. (Image: Marquee Sydney)

For a decade, the Marquee has long been the place to be for anyone who wants to run with the “in” crowd. Paris Hilton and Cardi B have been there, and Shaquille O’Neal was just there this past weekend. However, Scott Wharton, Star Sydney’s new CEO, wants to take the property in a different direction. This includes eliminating certain amenities.

Star Sydney is losing its Marquee following what Wharton says are “incidents and issues” that have occurred over the past decade. He said these have made it more difficult for Star, independent of its money-laundering and management failings, to “meet the standards” the company expects of itself.

The $20-million club will shut down at the end of the year. Following that, Wharton wants to bring in other food and beverage options that can reinforce the property’s status as a “world-class” destination.

End of an Era

The Marquee continued to welcome guests while other venues in the area had to alter their operations. Beginning in 2014, New South Wales (NSW) introduced new guidance on operating hours for clubs, forcing them to begin turning away new arrivals at 1:30 AM.

Star Sydney’s location fell outside the zone the NSW government included in the lockout. The government rescinded the order in 2020.

There’s also a Marquee at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, as well as in New York City. Another, at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, shut down in 2020 because of COVID-19. It reopened this past July.

NSW Gaming Regulator Taking Over

The debacle involving Star and Crown Resorts, both of which have faced allegations they violated gaming and financial laws, led NSW to appoint a new gaming regulator. Previously, the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) was in charge. But the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) is taking over.

The NICC will be solely responsible for gaming in the state. It will be led by five commissioners, all of whom are coming from the ILGA.

The former regulator’s chairman, Philip Crawford, will head the new entity. Joining him are Janine Rolfe, Murray Smith, Craig Sahlin, and Stephen Parbery.

The NICC will officially begin operating on September 5. Crawford will, for now, remain involved with the ILGA, serving as a board member.