(Reuters) -Shares of Australia’s Star Entertainment Group rose on Monday after the embattled casino operator said it received separate offers from its Hong Kong-based investors to acquire a 50% interest in its Destination Brisbane Joint Venture.
The Brisbane-headquartered firm’s stock was up 9.1% at A$0.12, as of 2317 GMT, and was the top gainer on the broader benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index, which was down 0.6%. The stock, which is currently the top gainer on the benchmark index, has shed 42.1% so far this year.
Destination Brisbane Consortium is a joint venture between Star Entertainment and its Hong Kong partners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium. It operates Queen’s Wharf Brisbane which includes luxury hotels and restaurants, among other amenities.
Star owns 50% interest in the joint venture while Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium own 25% each.
The casino operator said none of the proposals have provided “sufficient value” for the company and that it continues to engage with the both the parties to negotiate the proposals.
The announcement came as response to recent media report relating to the proposed offers.
Last month, Star said it would divest its Star Sydney Event Centre assets to theater owner and operator Foundation Theatres for A$60 million ($37.5 million) as it undergoes a cash and liquidity crunch.
Since 2021, Star has been embroiled in a slew of government probes over possible breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws at its Sydney and Queensland casinos.
($1 = 1.5997 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Sherin Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang, Lincoln Feast and Rashmi Aich)
