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Theme Parks Travel: The Shamu Watch Continues

When we last left you, Shamu was looking for a passport as she was considering a permanent European vacation. Well, it looks like things continue to move in that direction according to the UK Times.

Owners of Parques Reunidos, one of Europe's leading amusement park operators, is reported to be considering a bid of the Anheuser-Bush theme parks. Candover, a British equity firm that took ownership of Parques in 2007, is rumored to have hired Morgan Stanley to draw up the plans. Industry experts think that Shamu and friends are worth somewhere between $2.5 and $4.5 billion.

It's thought that InBev, the new owners of Budweiser, will go along with the deal as they need to raise some cash to pay off their debt from buying something like 1,000,000 30-packs of Bud Light.

To make things even more complicated, Merlin Entertainment, owners of Legoland, is also supposedly interested on getting in on the action. We'll let you know where your admission fee is going as soon as they figure it out.

Related Stories:
·European Theme Park Giant Parques Reunidos Angles for US Rival [UK Times]
·Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: doug bonhaus]

Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Anheuser-Busch / InBev / → All Tags

Theme Park Travel: Who's Feeding Shamu?

You've probably already heard that Belgian company InBev, makers of Beck's and Stella Artois, announced that they would be purchasing Anheuser-Busch. Love it or hate it, Budweiser certainly is one of the most American of brands. But regardless of how you feel about the company's product, what's more important is what will happen to AB's theme parks.

Although InBev has not directly stated that it's looking to unload the parks, company executives have already noted that they're looking to save $1.5 billion by 2011. Industry experts say that if they were to sell, a buyer would likely come from overseas, as the lower dollar would make the Anheuser-Busch parks a deal.

Even if a buyer does come through, the parks would probably just change owners and maintain their current themes, but know one knows for sure. We're hoping that the new Manta roller coaster and Shamu will stay just the same.

Related Stories:
· Can InBev Sell Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks? [AP, via Google]
· Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: hyku]