Germany's northernmost casino closes earlier

In April it was announced that Sylt will be closed at the end of the year.

Now Sylt closes on 31. October 2021.

The end of Sylt in Westerland has long been certain. Already on 23. April was announced the decision to adjust the operation. The announcement of the preferred closure was still surprising. So far, it has been assumed that the operation continues until the end of the year. On the website of the Leischbank SH GmbH operator is now the 31. October as the last day of opening.

Contractually agreed reconstruction

This unexpected message caused speculation on the motives of the closure. Sylt must first close his doors for economic reasons? Managing Director Bjorn Hohne was able to clear all rumors about the causes but quickly clear out. There are no financial motives for the closure. The lease with the municipality of Sylt contains the bribery handover of the premises. Accordingly, the last two months of the year are spent with reducings. In order to bring the rooms back to their original condition, the guests must remain outside from November. A piece of Sylter post-war history finds his end.

The Monte Carlo of the north

For decades, The Sylt was part of the cityscape of Westerland. The prominent location in the town hall made Sylt a landmark on the North Sea island. In recent years, however, there have also been critical voices. Some local politicians wanted to create space in the town hall for the administration to come together.

The Sylt Casino opened its doors to guests in 1949. The islanders, however, were forbidden to enter the rooms until 1977. The venue had its best days in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Sylt Casino from Westerland had a wide range. Here you play roulette, poker and blackjack. There was also a bar. The press and visitors drew comparisons with Monte-Carlo. The numerous guests came with the specially introduced express from Flensburg directly to Westerland. Slot machines were later introduced.

In addition to the current number of guests who have fallen by Corona, the Sylt was already reduced a first time in the 80s. The closure is therefore no surprise for those familiar with the industry.

Problems finding a location

In addition, there have been problems with the landlord in the municipality of Sylt for several years.

Plans to remodel the town hall in 2018 did not take the casino into account. The lease was limited to 2021 in the same year. Nevertheless, at this point in time, the operators are motivated to maintain the location. In the meantime, however, it is assumed: After the casino has moved out, the employees of the Sylt administration will probably take over the premises.

After the lease was limited to the end of 2021, the operator was now looking for a new location. However, this search was anything but easy. Real estate prices and rents are high on the exclusive North Sea island. To make matters worse: necessary investments in a new casino location are significant. The premises must meet many conditions. In order for the financial investment to be worthwhile, the future casino must therefore generate surpluses.

In the past few years, however, the turnover of the Sylt casino has decreased significantly. The corona pandemic presented many companies with great, unprecedented challenges. The Sylt Casino in is no exception. Long closings resulted in a loss of income. In addition, the location of the new property must be right. The prerequisites for maintaining the location can be described as difficult. The bottom line is that Sylt was unable to cope with this combination of difficulties. Accordingly, the operators decided not to continue operations after 73 years.

Alternative option

From November onwards, alternatives will have to be found for former regular customers. This is where the otherwise popular island location becomes a problem. The next are located on the mainland in Kiel, Flensburg, Lubeck or Schenefeld. Very few regular customers will cover this long distance. Surrounding casinos are not an option in this case.

Instead, others in particular should benefit from the Sylt Casino closure. They are easy to use and offer new customers attractive conditions. For example, there are often deposit bonuses and free spins. The uncertainty regarding the development of the corona pandemic does the rest. The operators and Sylt Casino guests cannot assess the measures this winter. Thus online casinos are an attractive solution.

Joel Moore