Macau gaming concessionaire SJM Holdings will take over the day-to-day operations of Diamond Casino on the Macau peninsula after its current manager revealed plans to shut down at the end of the month.
According to an internal memo sent to staff by the property’s operator – long-time Stanley Ho associate Christine Szeto Yuk-lin – and seen by Inside Asian Gaming, Diamond Casino will close its doors on 31 July 2021 due to a lack of business since the start of the pandemic.
“Due to the pandemic and no income for the past 18 months, our casino and other departments will stop operating from 31 July 2021,” the memo reads.
“Thank you for all your contribution to the company. I feel helpless about this decision.”
Although the memo did not mention the fate of Holiday Inn hotel where Diamond Casino is located, Chinese-language media outlet All-In reported over the weekend that SJM would operate the casino directly via SJM Resorts Ltd, the subsidiary that holds the company’s Macau gaming concession.
Diamond Casino, one of 14 third-party or “satellite” casinos operating under the license of SJM, is located on the Macau peninsula about 300 meters east of SJM’s Grand Lisboa.
Aside from Grand Lisboa, SJM operates four other “self-promoted” casinos including Hotel Lisboa and is preparing to launch its HK$39 billion (US$5 billion) Cotai integrated resort Grand Lisboa Palace.
