Posted on: June 17, 2022, 07:38h.
Last updated on: June 17, 2022, 03:17h.
Grosvenor Casinos wants to make sure its presence in Glasgow remains prominent. It recently began a huge makeover of its Merchant City property that it expects will make it more attractive to a wider range of gamblers.
Grosvenor, part of The Rank Group, announced this week that it is spending over £3.5million (US$4.27 million) to expand its Merchant City location. It is transforming the casino into a “modern destination,” adding a new bar and a restaurant that seats 70. The casino will also bring in “best-in-class” table games and a premium viewing area to catch all the sports action live.
After completing the upgrades, the property will need to hire 13 additional employees to handle added responsibilities. Among them will be an opening for a head chef. Other positions include trainee dealers and food and beverage hosts.
The casino didn’t shut its doors during the upgrades. But Grosvenor has measures in place to not inconvenience patrons. The casino is one of the company’s most successful outside of London, and it doesn’t want the work to affect its customers.
In addition to giving the casino a new look, Grosvenor has another reason for scheduling the upgrades. Debbie Johnston, the property’s GM, explains that the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the local hospitality industry. Therefore, the investment shows “real confidence” and supports the city’s recovery.
Coming Soon
In addition to the new amenities, the casino’s gaming offerings are being constructed. Without providing additional details, Grosvenor said it will add new tables and electronic roulette terminals.
Grosvenor expects to launch its new look with a series of official events beginning on June 30. The official launch will take place on July 2.
Last year, the casino announced that it offered a gaming academy for four weeks, including training in blackjack, poker, and roulette. Participants could also be offered full-time employment if they qualified. As one of its primary initiatives, the casino stated that the academy would educate staff members on the importance of playing responsibly.
The Year of the Casino Makeover
As casinos emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many venues are upgrading to enhance their position in the market. For example, the Treasure Coast riverboat casino in Louisiana spent $95 million beginning in January to update its operations. The Fremont casino in Vegas announced a $50-million upgrade project the following month.
Las Vegas Sands is spending $1 billion on voluntary upgrades to its Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore. This is in addition to the $3.3 billion it agreed to spend to retain its duopoly in the country with Resorts World Sentosa.
Grosvenor’s Merchant City is only one of 52 companies operating throughout the UK. The company also operates venues in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Maybury in Edinburgh and a Glasgow Riverboat site in Scotland.
In January, The Rank Group reported that its interim underlying net gaming revenues amounted to £333.5 million (US$406.67 million). This is a year-on-year increase of 90%.
In addition, digital business sales increased by 7%, which helped create a profit after taxes of £84.6 million (US$103.15 million). In the previous period, it lost £48.6 million (US$59.22 million).