The Star Sydney’s mega-club Marquee will close later this year after a decade in the nightlife game. One of the last remaining large-scale clubs left in Sydney, Marquee is known for hosting big-name DJs and artists (NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was on the decks just days ago; Calvin Harris, Drake and Post Malone have all performed at the venue), and luring celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Paris Hilton, Joe Jonas and Leonardo DiCaprio to its dance floor.

The announcement follows allegations that The Star breached money-laundering regulations and misled banks. It is currently awaiting the results of an inquiry into its activities. New CEO Scott Wharton has been brought in to replace former CEO Matt Bekier, who resigned earlier this year, to restore The Star’s reputation as a responsible casino-licence holder.

“Incidents and issues have surfaced [at Marquee] at times and that creates additional pressures to meet the standards we expect of ourselves,” said Wharton in a statement. “It’s a tough call to make but if we’re going to earn back the trust and confidence of all our stakeholders, we need to assess and react accordingly on how we run our operations.”

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Wharton says the company is hoping to move in a different direction with the space, and will look into a range of other food and beverage venues to join The Star’s other premium venues, including Sokyo and Ele by Federico and Karl.

“In this instance, it’s about looking at other food and beverage options that will further enhance The Star Sydney as a world-class tourism and entertainment destination,” said Wharton.

Marquee is expected to close in late 2022, with a new venue to be announced in the coming months. Staff are expected to be redeployed to other Star venues.

marqueesydney.com