GGRAsia – Singapore casinos reopen some non-gaming from Friday

Singapore casinos reopen some non-gaming from Friday

Jun 18, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Singapore, Top of the deck

Singapore’s two casino resorts are respectively opening some non-gaming facilities from Friday (June 19) as the city-state proceeds that day with phase two of its exit from Covid-19 countermeasures.

Marina Bay Sands, run by a unit of United States-based Las Vegas Sands Corp, said on its website it would open first its shopping mall (pictured in a file photo), but initially only to members of its Sands Rewards customer-loyalty programme. Some shops and restaurants in the mall might not be opened straightaway, it added.

Marina Bay Sands restaurants operated directly by the resort will remain closed for now, as will all other venues and attractions in the complex, including the hotel, casino, ArtScience Museum and the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The casino at the complex has been closed since April 7.

“Details will be announced once reopening dates are confirmed,” it added.

At the city’s other casino complex, Resorts World Sentosa, run by Genting Singapore Ltd, in-restaurant dining will be restarting from Friday.

But on a frequently-asked-questions section on the resort’s website, the property notes: “Our hotels will remain closed until further notice in view of the gradual easing of circuit breaker measures from June 2.”

The casino at Resorts World Sentosa has been shuttered since April 7.

In Singapore, the Covid-19 countermeasures are referred to as a “circuit breaker”. Phase two of the exit from the measures was due to start from the early hours of Friday. In that phase, retail businesses, food and drink “dine-in” and “other services” are allowed to resume, provided there are “safe management measures,” with “group size and capacity limits in place”.

The Singapore government has said that during phase two, wearing of face masks “will remain compulsory” when individuals are outside their home.

Marina Bay Sands stated regarding its mall reopening: “Tenants in The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands will ease back into operations as they welcome shoppers again with redesigned experiences as well as enhanced hygiene and safety protocols.”

The property added: “In the initial phase, The Shoppes will be accessible only to members of Marina Bay Sands’ loyalty programme, Sands Rewards, in order to ensure safe distancing measures and limits in capacity are adhered to.”

Marina Bay Sands stated it had developed a proprietary system, called MBS SafeEntry, to control access to the property. It is said to incorporate the resort’s loyalty membership requirements and Singapore’s national digital log-in system SafeEntry, for contact tracing.

Marina Bay Sands’ system “allows for an additional layer of crowd control and active capacity management, in addition to supporting the government’s objective to enable contact tracing when needed,” the property stated.

The mandatory check-in system will be used to process visitors as they enter the mall and their body temperature will also be checked, it noted.

Resorts World Sentosa asked its would-be customers for “patience” as guest offerings aside from restaurants “remain suspended in the meantime”.

It added: “We are working closely with the authorities on our reopening plans to invite our guests back to our resort in a safe manner, in line with the government’s health directives.”