Crown Melbourne has ceased operations until August 12 under a 7-day lockdown imposed by the Victorian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Australia.-\u00a0Crown Melbourne<\/strong>\u00a0has temporarily\u00a0closed until August 12<\/strong>\u00a0due to a new lockdown in the state of Victoria following a rise in Covid-19 cases linked to the delta variant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The casino operator said gaming activities, food and beverage, retail, banqueting and conference facilities<\/strong>\u00a0other than for the provision of takeaway and delivery have ceased. Hotel accommodation is still being provided for approved purposes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The casino operator said it will pay Crown Melbourne employees\u2019 rostered hours and salaries over the period.\u00a0Crown Melbourne<\/a>\u00a0previously saw a snap five-day Covid-19 lockdown in July.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Crown Resorts<\/a> has announced that Xavier Walsh will step down as chief executive officer<\/strong> of Crown Melbourne<\/strong> on August 20. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The news comes after Adrian Finanzio,<\/strong> counsel assisting Victoria\u2019s Royal Commission into Crown Resorts, said Walsh was not appropriate to remain connected to the Crown Resorts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company said Walsh will remain available to assist the company <\/strong>until his employment at Crown ends on December 9. Crown Resorts said it will announce a replacement following consultation with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In July, Walsh admitted Crown Melbourne<\/a> had underpaid its casino tax <\/strong>for seven years. He said he had learned about the possibility in 2018 but only started investigating when Victoria\u2019s Royal Commission into the casino operator was announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asked by former Federal Court judge Raymond Finkelstein<\/strong>, who\u2019s leading the inquiry, why he did nothing for almost three years, Walsh said he \u201ctook comfort\u201d from knowing senior Crown staff were aware of the issue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finanzio said: \u201cWalsh partially disclosed the existence of the issues to other directors<\/strong>, downplayed the significance of the issue to Crown\u2019s lawyers, and never followed up the matter in any meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Helen Coonan<\/a>\u00a0will also leave the company at the end of August.\u00a0Michael Borsky<\/strong>, the company\u2019s senior counsel, said Crown has already started to analyse\u00a0possible replacements for Coonan<\/strong>\u00a0and expects to appoint a new leader by August 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coonan assumed the role on an interim basis after Ken Barton stepped down following<\/a> the ILGA\u2019s inquiry into Crown\u2019s fitness to keep its licence for its Crown Sydney property.<\/p>\n\n\n\nXavier Walsh steps down as CEO of Crown Melbourne<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n