News SEAS Lays Off Another 350 Employees

[Zachary]

Official statement via the Orlando Business Journal:

Today SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. implemented the latest phase of our previously announced company-wide cost initiative. Approximately 350 positions across the company will be impacted by these changes, including open positions that will not be filled. This ongoing work to improve efficiency is focused on administrative functions and non-guest facing positions, and we are redeploying resources from the related cost savings into our growth initiatives. This includes intensifying our efforts related to marketing SeaWorld to drive growth in park attendance, while maintaining our commitment to the guest experience.

We do not take this task lightly. It is an unfortunate, but necessary, consequence of the restructuring that some positions will be lost. For those employees, we are offering severance benefits and outplacement assistance to help with their transition.

We remain committed to creating world-class guest experiences, providing comprehensively for the care of all our animals, and continuing our company’s focus on stranded marine animal rescue and ocean conservation initiatives.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the majority of the 350 layoffs occurred in Orlando (both SWO and SEAS corporate) and San Diego.

 

[jpcommons]

I hated to do it but we cancelled our platinum passes this past weekend. Over the last few years, we have had too many bad experiences at the parks. I had a pretty big issue this past July that I reported to guest relations and requested that I be contacted about the issue. The employee took down all of my contact information. To this day, no one has contacted me from their guest relations department. While this weekend was nice and our interaction with employees was fine, it just did not make up for the negative experiences we have had. We have decided to take our money elsewhere for the next couple of years.

 

[Merboy]

Oh wow. What happened, if I may ask?

Unfortunately it seems like layoff's are happening every day. And not just in the theme park industry. Gone are the days of real job security.