New Seaworld Park in Middle East

[tursiops]

Screamscape has an article about a possible new Seaworld park. Could be interesting to see if this is the first of multiple new parks.

 

[Party Rocker]

Interesting:

From Screamscape: SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment - (3/20/14) According to the Orlando Biz Journal, SeaWorld Entertainment is looking to grow and add more parks. Domestically they indicate that they may look into building more Sesame Place, Discovery Cove or Aquatica style parks, while saving the SeaWorld brand for potential new international projects… if they can find the right international partner to make a deal with. You may recall it wasn’t all that long ago that SeaWorld announced plans to build not just one, but four new theme parks, in Dubai on the outer island of the Palm Jebel Ali project, which would have been reshaped to resemble a giant killer whale. Those plans quickly folded along with the rest of the big blue sky dreams of Dubai launched around that same time period. With the world economy now settling back down, it looks like SeaWorld is looking to kickstart their international expansion plans once again.

Here is the Orlando Business Journal article it links to. I guess they have enough money to expand, despite (or maybe due to) the budget cuts.

- Serious discussions are talking place about a new park/property as either a SEAS only or a joint venture project, either domestically or internationally. An announcement within the next 12 to 24 months would not be unreasonable, they said.

This could finally be happening.

This is interesting news. During the Q3 Earnings Call, there was mention of a new park or property as Bill mentioned. There was a little debate over what that property would be, but a new SeaWorld outside the US would fit perfectly.

Also, this could be the beginnings of the Dubai SeaWorld/Busch Gardens theme park park. I remember those plans were shelved, and that area is relatively close to the Middle East. Maybe the company finally sees it as a good business opportunity now.

 

[David]

The earnings call just the other day had a few mentions of this as well. Sounds like it is making a lot of progress. The word "soon" was thrown around more than usual.

 

[Nicole]

So, the discussion of a Sea World park in UAE makes me think of the gold and silver stuffed penguin my brother bought me in Dubai.

 

[Zimmy]

Gilded dolphins?

Oh, and incidentally, UAE (Dubai,is one of Emirates of the United Arab Emirates) is on the Arabian peninsula, placing it smack in the middle of the Middle East.  So, indeed it is close.
Speaking of gilded things the Emirates own, if you ever have a chance to fly Emirates air, you should particularly if you can fly first or business.

So, the discussion of a Sea World park in UAE makes me think of the gold and silver stuffed penguin my brother bought me in Dubai.

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[Parkgoer]

The politics over there will not allow for a successful park. How SEAS can even finance their portion without spinning a park out of the current portfolio is another baffling item.

 

[Ben]

IT seems to me that every park proposal over their falls through, or maybe thats just BG Dubai

And Atlantis is right,they really arent in the financial position to do this right now, they're better off continuing to finance current parks with new additions and/or attractions

 

[b.mac]

Every time I hear about a park trying to move out to the middle east I can't help but be reminded of Six Flags' European expansion, and we all know that went swimmingly.

 

[Nicole]

EuroDisney

 

[Parkgoer]

EuroDisney

With financial issues of monstrous proportions.

 

[Nicole]

Yes.