News Resort Hotel Coming

[Shane]

ScreamScape initially reported a rumor in January 2017 that Busch Gardens Tampa would be building their own onsite resort hotel. (Details of the original rumor are located below)

Spoiler: Original Rumor

(1/26/17) Screamscape sources tell us that Busch Gardens Tampa is once again making plans to build their very own resort hotel on the property. I'm told they are hoping to open it by 2019 if the planning goes smoothly, though they have a few sites they are considering. The obvious one is to take up a large site along McKinley Drive right smack in the middle of the savannah where the railroad already curves away from McKinley which would give the resort the most room here, as well as providing some stunning views to the guests. Another site being heavily considered instead however is the corner property of the park where McKinley and Bougainvillea intersect, which is currently used as a backstage area for the park. If they go for this site, obviously whatever is back there would have to be moved to new facility elsewhere in the park, or moved off-site (if possible). In addition to those two primary sites, they have also earmarked a couple of other sites directly to the west and north of Adventure Island as possibilities as well.

On June 15, 2017 Touring Central Florida reported on new permit filings for what appears to be a large expansion at Busch Gardens Tampa, though the permit was not specific it pointed to that expansion being an all new resort hotel. Check out their article here.

Then this morning, June 26, ScreamScape claims to have been able to corroborate these filings with sources confirming that the permits are indeed for a resort project.

Long time members may recall several years ago that Busch Gardens Williamsburg was rumored to be slated for it's own resort hotel but those plans were shelved by The Blackstone Group shortly after Verbolten's lackluster attendance gains. As stated on prior SeaWorld Entertainment quarterly financial calls, the chain would be focusing on building out it's own hotel projects and it would appear that Busch Gardens Tampa will be the first property to officially gain these new amenities.

 

[AlpenChariot]

Is it known where the alleged hotel would be built? I know that Gwazi has to come down eventually but depending on the size of the hotel it may be able to go across McKinley in a lot by Adventure Island.