Rio Entertainment questions Galaxy’s decision to close Rio Casino

The company claims that Galaxy Entertainment never sought to negotiate a possible renewal of the casino’s operating contract.

Macau.- Rio Entertainment Ltd, the company responsible for the Rio Hotel in Macau, has questioned Galaxy Entertainment Group‘s decision to close its satellite casino at the hotel. Galaxy has announced that it will close Rio Casino along with President Casino, but Rio Entertainment claims the company at not time sought a renewal of its cooperation agreement to keep the casino working.

Accoding to the Macao Daily News, Rio said: “During the process, the concessionaire never negotiated with our company to approve the renewal of the cooperation, and never proposed to the company to lease the space to continue operations, so rumours suggesting the landlord’s rent demand was too high are fake.”

Galaxy Entertainment said that workers of both of the satellite casinos will be transferred to other units of the concessionaire with the same employment conditions.

It was first reported that Casino Waldo, a third satellite casino operated by Galaxy Entertainment, would continue operating but it had now been revealed that this casino will also close at the end of June.

Kwok Chi Chung, the president of the Macau Association of Gaming and Entertainment Promoters, has previously told Exmoo News that he was aware of six to eight satellite casinos were expected to close by the end of June.

The Emperor Hotel Casino was originally scheduled to close on June 26, but it will continue to operate until December 31, according to an agreement between hotel owner Emperor Entertainment Hotels Ltd and gaming concessionaire SJM.

Macau Legend CEO Melinda Chan earlier announced that two satellite casinos at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf will continue to operate until at least December 31, as an agreement with gaming franchisee SJM has been extended for six months.