SkyCity Sells Share in Christchurch Casino, Invests In Queenstown

Ever since the 2010 earthquake devastated Christchurch, the city has been struggling to return to its former glory. Entertainment venues across the city have shut down, and Christchurch’s casino has failed to generate a solid profit in years. So, it is no wonder that part-owner SkyCity is frustrated with its investment. As such, the casino operator has decided to sell its 50% stake in Christchurch Casino to Skyline for $80 million, accepting Skyline’s stake in SkyCity Queenstown for $5 million.

SkyCity has decided to take this route in order to shift its focus. Rather continuing to struggle to make Christchurch Casino successful yet again, SkyCity would rather focus its efforts on its Queenstown casino location, which is already thriving.

The company still plans on making some significant changes to Queenstown, however. This year, SkyCity has demonstrated its dedication to high-roller gambling in several of its casinos across New Zealand. Now, the company wants to extend that commitment to Queenstown, equipping the property with several new facilities that would welcome players with a thirst for high-stakes gambling action.

At SkyCity Queenstown, company executives are planning to build new restaurants and bars to make the property into a well-rounded entertainment venue. SkyCity would also like to introduce new VIP gaming parlours, at which VIPs would be able to wager upwards of $150 000 per bet.

Draft of SkyCity Convention Centre Inquiry Released

Ever since Prime Minister John Key announced his plans to allow SkyCity to build Auckland’s new convention centre in return for 500 new poker machines, the public has expressed concern. Many residents are worried that the local government is in the pocket of the casino operator while others believe that the deal would result in an increase in problem gambling. To address these questions and concerns, The Greens requested an inquiry into the issue. It has recently been released, with drafts being sent to relevant parties.

The Auditor General has spent the past six months drafting the inquiry. Normally, inquiries take up to 3 months; however, for complex cases, more time is required. As such, this inquiry is likely to contain a lot of information that the general public will need to know.

In addition to determining the feasibility of allowing SkyCity to build the new convention centre, the inquiry will also examine the potential for problem gambling rates to rise. It will also publish the potential benefits and drawbacks of the new convention centre deal, providing a well-rounded look at the situation.

“We consult as necessary on its contents to ensure that it is factually accurate and that the rights of any affected parties are properly protected,” says a spokesperson for the Office of the Auditor General.

Prime Minister John Key and SkyCity have received copies of the draft. However, Key states that he has not provided any feedback and nor has he spoken to SkyCity about it. Greens Leader Metiria Turei states that Key should take his time with this part of the inquiry process, as she is concerned that any announcements made on the subject during the holiday season will go unnoticed in the general public.

However, regardless of when the document is release, we are certain that residents will weigh in on the topic. This is an important issue for New Zealand citizens and they will certainly voice their opinions.

Was SkyCity Involved in New Immigration Deal?

SkyCity has come under fire yet again, fighting off criticism from local residents over its potential role in a new immigration deal. This week, Immigration New Zealand announced its new deal with China Southern Airlines, which would allow flyers expedited visa processing when visiting the New Zealand. Last year, SkyCity mentioned its own involvement in a similar deal, causing local residents to wonder if the casino operator had any sort of influence on Immigration New Zealand.

According to reports, SkyCity had been pushing for a deal with China Southern Airlines for over a year. The casino operator wanted to increase the number of high rollers that would have access to its various gambling venues by making it easier for players to enter the country. Now that Immigration New Zealand has launched its own deal with China Southern Airlines, citizens are concerned that the government is in the pocket of SkyCity.

This news comes shortly after the announcement that government has relaxed gambling laws to allow for SkyCity to install up to 500 new poker machines. In return, the casino operator would build Auckland’s new convention centre, a project which will cost $350 million. With these types of deals taking place, residents wonder if SkyCity has an unfair influence on the local government.

Both SkyCity and Immigration New Zealand have denied claims that they worked together on the new China Southern Airlines deal. However, opposition is still strong, as politicians and residents worry that the deal would welcome a potential increase in casino-related crime.

Super Brothel To Be Built Near SkyCity

The Chow Group is rubbing plenty of New Zealand residents the wrong way with its proposal for a new ‘super brothel, planned to be built across by SkyCity Auckland. The 15-storey building has received the go-ahead from the local planning committee, although locals are not pleased with the news – and they will be making their voices heard at a council meeting to be held this month.

The plan for super brothel is a multi-storey building, with a hotel, office buildings and restaurants. The brothel will be hosted on one of the floors, while the rest of the building will serve other purposes, for work and entertainment.

Chow Group’s plans have checked out with the local planning committee, as the building will not harm the environment or interfere with current infrastructure. However, the local community still needs to pass judgement on the new venue. 220 submissions have been made in opposition to the plan, and the individuals behind them will be speaking out this month.

There is no word yet on whether SkyCity of any of its representatives have made submissions, although the company did not seem very pleased when the idea was introduced in February 2012. SkyCity issued a statement, calling the venue inappropriate as it would be placed in a tourist centre, but the company has no spoken out in response to the council’s approval of the venue.

SkyCity’s Gambling Parents Discharged, One Convicted

Earlier this year, a huge scandal struck SkyCity Auckland, when security stumbled upon a van full of children, abandoned by their parents who had decided to spend the day gambling. The parents were arrested immediately, making headlines across the country – now, they have faced a local judge and decisions have been handed down for both the mother and the father, who have received name suppression.

Both parents were charged with child neglect – specifically, leaving a child under the age of 14 without supervision – but only one was convicted of the crime. The mother and the father were both discharged but only the mother got away without conviction. The father of the children has been found guilty of the crime, and his sentencing will take place later this year.

The judge’s reasons why only one party was convicted has not been revealed; however, some details about the court case have been shared, which shed some light on the situation. According to reports, the mother’s lawyer claimed that she is in the process of becoming a social worker, and a conviction would jeopardize her career plans. It seems unlikely that this argument is the entire reason she escaped conviction-free, but if the mother actually does have plans to become a social worker, she will need to set her priorities straight before pursuing this career path.

SkyCity Pays $2.7 Million Over Fraud Case

From 2004 to 2010, Herminia Lanuza used SkyCity’s Bank of New Zealand location to steal $2.7 million from her employer to fund her gambling habit. Blaming the bank for allowing the fraud to take place, Lanuza’s employer took the company to court, and the two parties have finally settled for an undisclosed sum of money.

The practices of SkyCity’s Bank of New Zealand have been named ‘socially questionable’ by the Problem Gambling Foundation. The bank is open 7 hours longer than other locations and does not hold cheques for any number of days before cashing them. While these practices are meant to protect customers from fraud, they also present plenty of opportunities for criminals.

As such, Lanuza’s former employer felt that the casino bank should take responsibility for the crimes committed. Police reports prove that she did not have the authority to cash cheques from the company or withdraw company funds, and SkyCity’s Bank of New Zealand failed to intervene. The High Court case was recently settled; however, the details of the transaction have yet to be revealed.

SkyCity Launches Sweepstakes Wednesday Promotion

The SkyCity brand of casinos is always looking for new ways to engage players. Their strategy consists of generous promotions that aim to keep players coming back for more – and SkyCity Auckland’s new Sweepstakes Wednesday promotion aims to do just that.

Sweepstakes Wednesday is a great promotion that allows all casino players to earn the change to win generous cash prizes. For every Premiere Point you earn at Sky City Auckland, you get one entry into the sweepstakes. You can earn one entry per day in the week leading up to the draw on Wednesday.

This week, the prize pool is worth $50 000. We’re letting you know well in advance so you can start earning as many Premiere Points as you can this week. If the jackpot is not won on the 19th, it will continue to grow until the next Wednesday Sweepstakes draw.

This is just one of many great promotions that the SkyCity brand has to offer throughout New Zealand. Visit your local SkyCity Casino to find out which bonuses and promotions you can take advantage of this month.

Gamble Free Day Highlights Concerns About Sky City

Gamble Free Day took place yesterday in New Zealand and, in addition to raising awareness about problem gambling, the day also provided The Greens with the opportunity to raise concerns about Sky City’s new pokies deal. The political party argued that we have heard quite a lot about the financial end of the deal, but not very much about its social impacts, and The Greens would like to have more attention paid to this aspect.

“What we’ve heard is that pokie deals will pay for the convention centre, but it’s not taking into account the other costs that all of us have to pick up,” says Denise Roche of The Greens.

Ideally, The Greens would like the local government to conduct some research into the social effects of bringing up to 500 new poker machines into the country. With increased availability of the machines, the political party believes that problem gambling rates will also rise, and the local community needs to learn a bit more about the social end of the deal.

Gamble Free Day present the perfect platform for the announcement of these concerns. Now, the general public is aware of the potential harm of the deal, and they can spread the word.

SkyCity Banks Big Win From High Rollers

SkyCity derives a large portion of its revenue from high roller gamblers, and the pursuit of their dollars has certainly paid off. According to recent reports, high rollers at SkyCity casinos across New Zealand and Australia wagered an astounding $3.8 billion.

This incredible statistic nearly doubles the wagers made by high rollers at the casino during the previous year. In 2010, high rollers spent just $1.9 billion. The increase is likely due to a jump in win rates, from just over 1% to 1.35% in 2011. Since players are compelled to wager more when they are winning, the win rate certainly worked in SkyCity’s favour.

SkyCity works hard to satisfy its high roller gamblers. VIP players are allowed a number of unique perks from the casino, including being able to rent their own gaming rooms and receiving special treatment from casino staff. The operator’s latest high roller venture was Horizon, a chain of gaming saloons and hotel rooms available only to high rollers.

Moving forward, SkyCity will be working on new ways to improve the high roller experience at its casino. For example, the company has recently had its proposal to build a luxury casino at SkyCity Hamilton, which will certainly attracting more high rolling gamblers to the casino brand.

12.6% Profit Increase for Sky City

Sky City has seen its fair share of problems lately. In addition to a failing self-exclusion program, the company has been in the news a number of times for quite a few scandals. However, this has not affected its profits, as Sky City reported a 12.6% increase in profits during the past year.

This is great news for the company. In other situation, a company whose profile is rife with scandal would suffer – but that has not happened with Sky City. Instead, the company generated over $138 million in 2011.

Much of the year’s growth was due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. In addition to exposing a new audience to New Zealand’s top gaming operator, the games saw thousands of individuals wagering on the event. It is the same phenomenon that occurs during any big sporting event, but the Rugby World Cup was localized to New Zealand; so, Sky City was able to take advantage of the situation.

Moving forward, SkyCity will experience an even bigger profit increase. With the installation of 500 new poker machines at the company’s Auckland location, SkyCity will certainly thrive in the future.