Blackstone Group buys Busch Entertainment Parks

Everything else goes here, including discussion of parks outside of Carowinds and any off-topic discussion
 Reply
User avatar

Blackstone Group buys Busch Entertainment Parks  

By cwgator
-  September 23rd, 2009, 9:46 pm #35039
[Author Edit: No longer a rumor as of 10/07/2009]


I'm suprised this has not been posted yet. I live in Gainesville, FL and it is all over the news channels here (as we also get Orlando local stations). I'm sure most people know that the Busch Entertainment Corp. Parks are currently owned by InBev...if not then you've been under a rock for about a year or so now. It has been inevitable that they would sell the parks as they are in the beer-selling business, not theme parks.

Today they announced the possible sale of the parks to The Blackstone Group who also hold 50% share in Universal Studios. If it were to happen, this would make them a definite powerhouse in competion with Disney. Busch Gardens Tampa and Sea World Orlando are 2 of my favorite theme parks. Although it would be nice if the Busch family would purchase the parks back and run them, the possible new ownership doesn't sound all that bad. I would hate to see any of their parks close or become less then what they are. To me they are high quality parks.

For more info:

Link to the story on WESH Orlando:

http://www.wesh.com/entertainment/21078154/detail.html

Link to Fox Orlando including video:

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/local/092309_seaworld
Last edited by cwgator on October 7th, 2009, 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar

Re: Rumor of Sea World sale to The Blackstone Group  

By coasterdave
-  September 24th, 2009, 5:54 am #35041
You do know IF this does take place then they would be the second largest Theme Park Company in the world right behind DIsney. Time will tell my friend IF this will take place and what about the other parks that InBev owns. WIll they fall under this sale or not. It would be great to know IF that is true.

Time will only tell and time is ticking ticking away.
User avatar

Re: Rumor of Sea World sale to The Blackstone Group  

By cwgator
-  September 24th, 2009, 12:05 pm #35046
coasterdave wrote:You do know IF this does take place then they would be the second largest Theme Park Company in the world right behind DIsney. Time will tell my friend IF this will take place and what about the other parks that InBev owns. WIll they fall under this sale or not. It would be great to know IF that is true.

Time will only tell and time is ticking ticking away.


Yes..This WILL be great! (IF of course...)
User avatar

Re: Rumor of Sea World sale to The Blackstone Group  

By cwgator
-  October 5th, 2009, 6:10 pm #35219
An update today from the Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-busch-entertainment-blackstone-100509,0,6204349.story

The Blackstone Group's long-rumored deal to buy SeaWorld Orlando-owner Busch Entertainment Corp. from Anheuser-Busch InBev is expected to be announced as early as tomorrow, according to multiple people familiar with the talks.

The price tag is thought to be between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, these people said. It is possible, though unlikely, that the deal could still fall apart.

The deal would make Blackstone an even bigger player in the global tourism industry. The private-equity giant already owns a 50 percent stake in Universal Orlando and a controlling stake in Merlin Entertainments Group, the British amusement operator whose holdings include Legoland theme parks and Madame Tussauds wax museums.

Busch is the second-largest theme-park operator in the United States, with 10 theme parks around the country, including SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The Walt Disney Co. is the largest.

Blackstone is expected to operate Busch as a standalone investment, rather than combine it with another holding, at least in the near future.

The deal has drawn widespread attention in financial circles, as it would be the largest private-equity buyout announced this year.

Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest beer brewer, has been looking for a buyer for Busch Entertainment since InBev completed a $52 billion acquisition of Anheuser-Busch last year. Company executives have said they want to shed non-core assets and use the money to pay down debt incurred during the merger.

Representatives for AB InBev and Blackstone declined to comment.
User avatar

Re: Rumor of Sea World sale to The Blackstone Group  

By CoasterDad
-  October 7th, 2009, 9:00 am #35232
I'm hoping for it! Personally, I think it would be a "kiss of death" had Disney acquired the AB parks. Sure hope to hear the final word on this shortly. Maybe some collective ticketing options, even better than those currently offered, will help unite the Universal and Busch parks... already a much better deal than Disney offers anytime... after having visited all of the parks in Florida, I'm all for seeing this deal happen!
 Reply
 Return to “All Things Not Carowinds”