It’s absolutely horrible timing. Fortress Melbourne which opened its doors on Friday will close until further notice from 7pm tonight. This is due to COVID-19 and Fortress believing that it has a responsibility to keep staff and patrons safe.
The venue is the largest gaming/esports venue in the Southern Hemisphere and has been being constructed for the better part of a year in Melbourne’s Emporium centre. It houses a 300 person arena, multiple gaming rooms, streamer pods and a full eatery.
You have to feel for the team over at Fortress, who literally opened this innovative venue as COVID-19 started to worsen in Australia and across the world. Obviously, once they reopen, it’ll be hugely important to head down to Fortress and show them your support.
THE FULL STATEMENT IS BELOW:
Due to the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Fortress Melbourne has decided to close to the public from Wednesday 18th March.
In the current climate, we believe this is the socially responsible action to take to protect the health of our team and patrons. While we have implemented several social distancing strategies and reinforced our cleaning efforts and hygiene protocols, the state of the global situation goes directly against our mission to bring live social gameplay to Australia.
To date, there have been no confirmed cases within the Fortress team or patrons. However, we are taking this precautionary measure in the best interests of the community.. However, we are taking this precautionary measure in the best interests of the community.
We have been overwhelmed by the support and excitement Melbourne has shown us since we’ve opened. We cannot wait to reopen our doors once we’ve all made it safely through this challenging time.
For those who have supported us in purchasing memberships, we will be placing payments on hold, and you will not be charged until we reopen.
While we won’t be physically open, we hope to continue engaging with you all through our website and social platforms. Many of us will be looking for ways to stay connected with our friends and family, and Fortress will be looking for ways that we can use our technology to help bring people together.
It is important to follow information from the Australian Health Officials. If you are unwell or display any flu-like symptoms, it is imperative that you remain at home especially if you have a temperature, or any signs of a respiratory tract infection (including a sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath).
We thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.
Kind regards,
Jon Satterley and Adrian Giles (Co-Founders of Fortress Australia)
