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United Parks & Resorts
Founded 1959
Headquarters Orlando, Florida, USA
Official website https://unitedparks.com/
Amusement parks 6

United Parks & Resorts, previously SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, is a family entertainment company owned by The Blackstone Group. United Parks & Resorts operates twelve theme parks located throughout the United States and United Arab Emirates. The chain was formerly a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch since 1959, under which it was known as Busch Entertainment Corporation.

History

Anheuser-Busch initially created the subsidiary to run the various Busch Gardens parks. The parks at Tampa, Florida, and Williamsburg, Virginia were located adjacent to breweries, and the parks included tours of the facilities and even free samples of the products made there.

In the fall of 2009, the Blackstone Group acquired Busch Entertainment. The Blackstone Group already owned a significant interest in Merlin Entertainments, which operates attractions and theme parks such as Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers.

On January 30, 2024, the company announced plans to change its corporate name from SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. to United Parks & Resorts Inc.[1]

Amusement parks

Current (8)

Park Location Opened Acquired Additional Info
Busch Gardens Tampa Tampa, Florida, USA 1959 N/A Founding member
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia, USA 1975 N/A Founding member
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 2023 N/A Owned and operated by Miral Asset Management under license, only location outside the United States
SeaWorld Orlando Orlando, Florida, USA 1973 1989 Acquired from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
SeaWorld San Antonio San Antonio, Texas, USA 1988 1989 Acquired from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
SeaWorld San Diego San Diego, California, USA 1964 1989 Acquired from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Sesame Place Philadelphia Langhorne, Pennsylvania, USA 1980 N/A Owned and operated under an exclusive license from Sesame Workshop
Combined theme and water park
Sesame Place San Diego Chula Vista, California, USA 1997 2012 Acquired from Cedar Fair, originally a sole water park before becoming a combined theme and water park
Owned and operated under an exclusive license from Sesame Workshop
Located about 20 miles from SeaWorld San Diego

Past (3)

Park Location Opened Additional Info
Boardwalk and Baseball Haines City, Florida, United States 1989 Closed in January 1990 due to low profitability and attendance, shortly after being purchased
Cypress Gardens Winter Haven, Florida, United States 1936 Acquired from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1989, sold in 1995
Sesame Place Irving, Dallas County, Texas, United States 1982 Closed following the 1984 season, announced not to be reopening in January 1985 following reported low attendance and revenue

Water parks

Current (4)

Park Location Opened Additional Info
Adventure Island Tampa Bay Tampa, Florida, USA 1980 Located opposite Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Aquatica Orlando Orlando, Florida, USA 2007 Located opposite SeaWorld Orlando
Aquatica San Antonio San Antonio, Texas, USA 2012 Located adjacent to SeaWorld San Antonio
Water Country USA Williamsburg, Virginia, USA 1980 Located 3 miles from Busch Gardens Williamsburg

References

  1. "SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Changing Its Corporate Name to United Parks & Resorts Inc". SeaWorld. 2024-01-30. Retrieved 2024-01-30.