Shamu for Sale: Anheuser-Busch, InBev, and the future of SeaWorld

[JetsSuck2008]

Went to Seaworld 2 days ago. No more Beer School or Free Beer! WTF

I wanted my money back! Never again will I go to seaworld. Damm sellouts!

[Chingirl94]

InBev fucked up EVERYTHING. I always wanted to work for Anheuser-Busch like my daddy does, so I wanted to work at SeaWorld. Well now that Blackstone bought SW, I'm scared my dream job at SeaWorld could be fucked over. Thanks, InBev, you've ruined a 15 year old's dreams.

[memorial19]

guys the just sold a discovery parks to the blackstone..to bad the horses wont b there any more

[metridium]

Sea World owner In-Bev says it needs to sell off $7 billion in assets this year, so Eyewitness News tried to catch up with employees at the Orlando Park to see if they thought they were part of that plan. Other sources told Eyewitness News that Sea World managers met with employees on Wed. reassuring them the Park would not be sold this year, in part because there were no buyers. wftv- March 5, 2009

[wdwmike]

You added all those pictures of Mickey, The mouse isnt going to buy that park, I heard the most serious prospect was the group called People Eating Tastey Animals (PETA) that want to relase the animals to the wild (they dont know how to care for them selves in the wild and would proably follow boats around endagering them selves) due to them being familar with being fed not capturing theown food, so in bev is going to have to own them for a while if they're going to last as a theme park

[woodencoasterfan]

Also, here's how I see it. Six Flags is in no position to buy up any more parks as they've been selling parks to lessen their debt load. Cedar Fair bought up all the Paramount Parks for a steep price. Universal Studios already has it's two parks here in Orlando and Disney builds their parks from scratch and isn't in the business of buying other parks anyway. The most likealy buyers are Park Reunidos, Merlin Ent., or even having BEC spin off on their own with August Busch the 3rd at the helm.

[woodencoasterfan]

I'm a native born Floridian. I was born in Coral Gables and have lived in the Orlando area since I was one year old. I've had a Platinum Pass for ALL the AB parks for the last five years and a Gold the two years prior to that. From what I've heard from other coaster enthusiasts is that In-Bev may hold on to the parks till the economy improves and that they will be sold as a package.

[ShamuKid]

wait, why would they sell a great thing like shamu?

[nailycai]

kickass song.......nufsaid.

[shamu636]

Please take care of Shamu. Thats all I ask.

[vampirella30]

so free the Orcas and there will be plenty of jobs on whale watch boats. And more people would visit. Park numbers are dropping as people realise they cannot and should not exploit animals for personal greed. Watch them in their natural habitat and get more overseas visitors. You are after all supposed to be the Land of the Free

[estelle497]

Oh - and you can't forget Peta wanting to make an offer.

However, InBev made a statement saying "The buyer of the parks must keep the animals in their habitats."

Guess Peta's out of the question.

[Floribbean]

I'm a fifth generation Floridian myself, and it's nice to hear from a native compatriot! Sometimes I feel like a stranger in my own home state.

Yes, the large corporation that come to our state and exploit it for all it's worth represent their interests alone. If something were happen to our state or tourism industry, they'd be gone in a flash, it's sad.

[vampirella30]

exploitation...it's the name of the game really. That's what is going on already. These Orcas are exploited by the greedy men who "own " them. Sure jobs are provided , more dollars for the people. The days of keeping animals in these concrete pools for our pleasure must surely come to an end when the dollars stop coming in. Let them swim in ther ocean, take tourists to see them there, you would get many more overseas visitors or repeat business.

[sazmullium]

I read on the telegraph that they are only selling their beer produces such as bud... not everything else? now i'm confused :/

[Floribbean]

No, lol. That's the only thing they're not selling. They're definitely keeping the Budweiser brand, that's why they bought the company.

The parks are expected to be sole before the end of the year. Who knows if they will be sold in a package or seperated, given the economy and the lack of able buyers.

Reports already suggest some staff reductions around the park since the sale.

[sazmullium]

NO no not inBev in the telegraph it said Busch was only selling the beer part of his company and might not sell his parks and that it was undecided if he will sell them or not :/

iv heard so many different versions of this :/ none match argh confusing or what

[Badoso5]

InBev is belgium-brazilian. CEO: Carlos Brito, brazilian, 48.

[rodolfogarciasamano]

Shamu dont know where to go.

¿And what's happening with the thousands of free living whales victims of pollution, of heavy metals and ships?

To me it seems that today InBev could do very much better than A&B despite american pride. May be belgians are more aware of climatic change than americans.

[iluvkandu7]

i hope whoever buys it is a responsible person, and truly cares about the animals. they don't deserve to suffer just so a handful of people can get rich. maybe a few animals origionally from the wild will be lucky enough to get rehabilitated and released if someone with a heart comes up with the cash. we can only hope.

[Ghomtu]

Dont support CETACEAN Gullags!

[roflcopterXP]

wow that sux..

i hope six flags buys it

[tvnewsguy42]

Kill me now. Did you seriously just say you hope Six Flags buys the Busch parks? Are you stupid? I'd rather have the parks closed than have them under Six Flags ownership, they have no idea hoe to operate parks and that's why they're $2 billion in debt. And don't say Six Flags is good because they have more coasters, that's just being ignorant.

[roflcopterXP]

i am not six flags should buy the busch parks because they have more coasters. and i really dont mean six flags, i mean the city of vallejo which owns discovery kingdom. they take good care of shouka there, which is why i said that. i really dont care about coasters.

[schuylerjames]

This is just stubborn pride of St. Louisans

Pride getting in the way of progress towards a world economy

This deal allows development, partnerships and alliances throughout the world, which has become essential for success in today's business

Economies of many newly industrialized countries continue to grow at a faster rate

This is 'balancing the equilibrium'

Hey, I was born in St. Louis, I myself am a St. Louisan, so i'll be the first to admit

...it's still Hooterville...

:)

[lvujovic]

So stupid...!!!