The second floor of the Resorts World Manila casino resort in the Philippine capital will no longer be used for casino activities, confirmed the property’s operator, after resuming gaming operations on Thursday.
“We are bringing back the gaming operations on the ground and third floors of our integrated resort,” stated Kingson Sian, president and chief executive of Travellers International Hotel Group Inc, quoted in a Thursday company release.
He added: “The second floor will no longer be used for casino operations and will be utilised for other non-gaming purposes instead.”
Travellers International is a venture between Philippine-based Alliance Global Group Inc and Genting Hong Kong Ltd.
Resorts World Manila (pictured in a file photo) was attacked on June 2 by a lone gunman. The attack left 37 people dead, including the perpetrator Jessie Javier Carlos. Philippine media reported at the time that the second-floor gaming area was where most of the victims died due to smoke inhalation.
Following the deadly event, the country’s regulator – the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) – instructed Resorts World Manila to halt its gaming operations pending investigation of the attack on the property. Gaming operations were eventually resumed on Thursday.
“With Pagcor’s assistance and guidance, we can now start the difficult task of rebuilding as it is also our responsibility to take care of our 6,000 staff and personnel,” Mr Sian said.
He added that Resorts World Manila had engaged the services of international security outfit Blackpanda to tighten the property’s external and internal security protocols. He stated that Travellers International remained committed to improving security and safety measures at the casino resort.
In a Thursday release, Pagcor noted that “the lifting of [the] suspension order does not disregard Travellers International’s officers and personnel of any criminal liability [in connection to the attack to Resorts World Manila], which is to be determined by government investigating bodies.”
