Club fiends of Sydney, pour one out. Because Marquee, the star-studded stalwart of Sydney’s nightclub scene, will be permanently shutting its doors at the end of this year after ten years of non-stop, dancey operation.
This news comes as a bit of a surprise considering Shaquille O’Neal played a big-time DJ set there just last weekend. But newly appointed Star Sydney CEO Scott Wharton told media that it wasn’t all smooth sailing when it came to operating the nightclub.
“Incidents and issues have surfaced at times and that creates additional pressures to meet the standards we expect of ourselves”, he said, continuing to add that it was time “for the business to move in a different direction”.
Marquee has acted as the glitzy stage for big celebrity names since it opened at the Star in 2012, with the likes of Paris Hilton, Drake and Cardi B having danced through their cavernous party doors. Known for its weekly RnB Friday parties, booming sound system and bougie nights of flashy fun, Marquee has been the setting for many a wild night out for many a Sydneysider, but now, apparently, no more, with the Star CEO saying that the space will be moving in a “premium hospitality direction”, with a focus on “other food and beverage options that will further enhance the Star Sydney as a world-class tourism and entertainment destination”.
Scott Wharton has confirmed that the shutdown will happen this year, and that they will be making the redeployment of existing Marquee staff a top priority.