Busch Gardens, SeaWorld Parks Sold to the Blackstone Group

Tampa, Florida -- Anheuser-Busch has just sold its ten famous theme parks, which include Busch Gardens and SeaWorld, to The Blackstone Group for a reported $2.7 billion; this news comes from an Anheuser-Busch InBev press release. The sale of the ten Anheuser-Busch InBev theme parks comes after Belgian brewer, InBev, purchased Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion in 2008. Speculation that Anheuser-Busch InBev was going to sell the parks had been circulating since then.

Several Parks Included in Package Deal

The parks included in the landmark sale include Busch Gardens parks in Tampa, Florida and Williamsburg, Virginia; SeaWorld in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio; Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania; Adventure Island in Tampa; Water Country, U.S.A. in Williamsburg; and Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando.

Anheuser-Busch bought the SeaWorld parks, including the now-defunct SeaWorld location in Aurora, Ohio, from Harcourt Brach Jovanovich (now called Harcourt Trade Publisher) in 1989.

What the Sale Means for Tampa

While the sale affects all ten parks across the nation, the individual cities where Anheuser-Busch parks are located also are potentially impacted by the sale.

Tampa, which is the home of Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, largely relies on the two parks as the major draw for the region's tourism. In fact, with Tampa's location some 75 minutes from the internationally known attractions in Orlando, the Tampa Bay area needs Busch Gardens and Adventure Island to draw tourists to Tampa to help maintain a heavy flow of visitors who spend time - and money - in the city and the surrounding communities.

The Los Angeles Times reports the "Busch" name is part of the transaction and both Busch Gardens parks will keep their names, but questions about the future of Busch Gardens in Tampa continue to swirl.

The park, which opened in Tampa 50 years ago and has always been owned by Anheuser-Busch, is now in new hands. However, the Tampa park will continue to operating without much, if any change.

Along with the park's name remaining "Busch Gardens," Anheuser-Busch InBev products will still be offered at Busch Gardens' restaurants. Busch Entertainment Corporation President Jim Atchison stated on WTVT-13 news that there will be "no staff reductions," which will come as a relief to those worried about the Tampa area's unemployment rate; the Tampa Bay area has seen elevated unemployment levels, with some Tampa-area communities topping 11% and 12% in recent months.

Busch Gardens and the other Anheuser-Busch parks will be in experienced hands, as The Blackstone Group is well-known for successfully leading theme parks and attractions, including Universal, Legoland, and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

Tampa's Busch Gardens opened in 1959 with a 17-acre garden and bird aviary and a major, onsite brewery facility. While the brewery closed in 1995 and was demolished the following year, the park has grown to include thousands of animals, offer world-record-breaking roller coasters, and deliver acclaimed entertainment.

Resources

Anheuser-Busch. "Anheuser-Busch InBev Reaches Agreement to Sell Busch Entertainment Corporation to Blackstone." October 7, 2009. http://www.anheuserbusch.com/Press/2009/Oct/Anheuser-Busch-InBev-Reaches-Agreement-to-Sell-Busch-Entertainment-Corporation-to-Blackstone.html

Los Angeles Times. "Busch Gardens to Keep Name After Sale; Clydesdales to Depart SeaWord." October 7, 2009.

WTVT-13. 6:00 P.M. Newscast on October 7, 2009.
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/busch-gardens-seawor-5566/