Busch Entertainment

[Altair]

Does anyone think Disney would bid for the Anheuser-Busch theme parks once the take over by InBev is completed? InBev has already stated the theme parks would be sold off.

[DISNEYLOVERS5]

If you go to the anheuser-busch website you will see that they haven't excepted the proposal. And if they do they will combined. It says nothing about the theme parks.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I don't think that if Busch sells the theme parks, Disney would buy them. They aren't at the level of Disney's.

[AnnetteFan]

I don't think Disney is the type to buy already designed themeparks. They prefer to start from scratch. And I just don't see how it would make much sense in the long run because they don't really need the extra parks and the current theming doesn't work with Disney and there's no point theming them the way the Disney parks are themed because then you'd just have replicas.

[EditReject]

I don't know....Busch Entertainment is relocating their headquarters to Orlando, FL....

Actually, I would hate to see Anheuser-Busch sell off their Entertainment division if the InBev deal goes through. They are a very profitable and first class run division and the parks, from the Busch Gardens parks to the Sea Worlds to Sesame Place near me, are top notch parks in every way. While my first love is the Disney Parks, I would hate to see anything happen to the Busch parks either.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Although I am sure a lot of Busch's theme park employee's won't be happy - they currently get 2 free cases of beer each month if they are over 21.

[big blue and hairy]

This is speculation of speculation. The Busch family doesn't want to sell. While they don't control that much stock, they hold huge sway over the board. It would definitely be a hoistile takeover, and huge loans would be in play.

This sounds to me a little like the Comcast takeover of Disney. How did that work out?

[Stevend]

Jay Rasulo won't touch them and Disney doesn't buy stuff like this. Who could/would buy them? The only potential players in the industry would be Merlin or Universal. Six Flags is upside down in a huge way, Cedar Fair has too much debt. Parques Reunidos is a possibility but it would be a bigger deal (value $2.9 billion) than they have ever done. It could be Dubai World, or another sovereign fund.

While the board may vote to reject the offer, it will still have to be approved by the shareholders, and Warren Buffet stands to make $600MM on the sale, so expect the shareholders to approve it. Busch could try to block it, and they would need cash to do it, so they COULD sell the parks themselves to raise some cash, but again, the question is who.

My money is on Universal, since they have partnered with Busch before (in Spain). HOWEVER, I don't expect GE to foot the bill. So that begs the question where will they get the money?

[Capt. Sparrow]

Although I am sure a lot of Busch's theme park employee's won't be happy - they currently get 2 free cases of beer each month if they are over 21.

SIGN ME UP!!!

[Altair]

One of the options that came out of the A-B Board of Directors meeting was to sell off the theme parks to help increase stock value. They voted to oppose the sale of the company, so now it will have to be a hostile takeover.

[Doug The Disney Man]

This would get Disney in the colonial area in Williamsburg. It wasn't too long ago that they were attempting some kind of historical park.

The other problem if they don't buy them, and Universal does, is that that gives Universal a lot of leverage in Florida. They would have 4 parks (Univ., IOA, SeaWorld, BGA), 2 water parks (Aquatica and Adv. Island) plus Discovery Cove. That would be a heck of a move if profitable.

[Crow]

SIGN ME UP!!!

thats what i was about to say

[brownie]

I don't think Disney should buy them, but this is a little premature. I saw on the news last night Anheuseur-Busch is now suing InBev in federal court saying that InBev failed to disclose they do business in Cuba.

[MidnTPK]

Now that it looks like this deal is going to happen, here's my speculation on what is going to happen in the theme park business.

I think this deal could lead to a big change for Disney. I think it could lead to a new world-wide entertainment company to rival Disney.

So who would buy them and how does this happen?

Sheik Maktoum of Dubai has made a long term investment in turning Dubai into a tourist destination. To that end, he's building Dubai World which will include Universal Parks (as well as Six Flags), bought the Atlantis resort brand, and now has a long term partnership with the Sea World/BG (he's building a BG, Sea World, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove on an island in the shape of Shamu in Dubai).

And now there are a few companies out there that are probably looking to sell worldwide assets like these: BG and the Sea World parks will be owned by InBev. Universal Orlando is owned by GE. GE doesn't really have a long term appetite for running theme parks and resorts....of the hundred of billions of dollars in assets that GE has, the parks are maybe $5-$10 billion. And before the acquisition was looking like it was going to happen, Busch was floating the idea of selling the parks. So both Universal and BG/sea world might be already be quietly for sale

Buying the NBC/Universal portfolio and the BG/Sea World parks would give that new company a stable of brands that rivals, if not outsizes, Disney. All of which he already has partnerships with. And at greater than $140 a barrel for oil, he's got lots of dollars at his disposal. And a weak U.S. economy might mean he can buy this all pretty cheap.

Which I think would end up being awesome for us fans of Disney and theme parks. I think the competition with a new similarly sized rival would lead Disney to raise its game to another level.

While I won't say a new entertainment company to rival Disney is inevitable, a lot of pieces are falling into place.

[ParkMan]

Possible, but I don't know that I see the rise of a player to rival Disney in this area.

Say a single company starts putting together several different theme parks - you still don't have a single global identity. Even if the same company owned Universal, Sea World, & Busch Gardens what do they have but 3/4 unique and different parts geographically dispersed.

On the other hand, Disney has 3 theme parks co-located on a single large campus. Disney has been able to leverage that synergy to build a destination resort.

Disney has tremendous brand awareness that is a significant draw to the resorts. They also have a tremendous ability to refresh that brand awareness. I can't see my 5 year old wanting to go to Busch Gardens to see some kind of "unified" theme park character. Going to WDW to see Mickey, Buzz Lightyear, Wall E, etc... is a given.

That's not to say there won't be some consolidation in the industry - if they do get sold off, I wouldn't even be surprised to see an existing player pick them up. I just don't see that player resulting in a "rival" to the DIsney corporation.

[MidnTPK]

Possible, but I don't know that I see the rise of a player to rival Disney in this area.

I only think this because of the behavior and strategy of Shiek Maktoum. I don’t see it as necessary, but all these opportunities are developing in front of him, from companies with which he already has relationships. It’s a tremendous opportunity for him to further enhance Dubai as a future extraordinary tourist destination.

Say a single company starts putting together several different theme parks - you still don't have a single global identity. Even if the same company owned Universal, Sea World, & Busch Gardens what do they have but 3/4 unique and different parts geographically dispersed.

I don’t think I agree with the premise that you need (or have) a single global identity. Though Mickey is the King, there isn’t too much connection between the Disney characters….how often do you see Mickey interacting with Winnie, Captain Jack Sparrow, Buzz Lightyear, or the HSM Wildcats? Never....not even in Mickey's Philharmagic.

On the other hand, Disney has 3 theme parks co-located on a single large campus. Disney has been able to leverage that synergy to build a destination resort.

While the BG parks have no unifying theme, the Marvel Superheroes, Men in Black, Harry Potter, and Jurassic Park characters all do a very good job of maintaining US/IOA’s themes….and the BG parks could easily take this overlay.

And we could debate whether it’s the resorts (which have no character/movies connections to Disney, except for meals) or the parks that create the synergy of WDW. Well, the Sheik is building some of the most amazing hotels in the world right now.

I can't see my 5 year old wanting to go to Busch Gardens to see some kind of "unified" theme park character.

What if Harry Potter land was added to every BG park?

[HeyMrsL!ItsThisGuy!]

wouldn't be surprised if the Six Flags Group bought them, that's EXACTLY what they do, they buy pre made theme parks and rebrand them.

just look at the history of Six Flags New England, Six Flags Great Adventure, just to name two.

[Wells]

Personally, I hope that whoever ends up with ownership of the Busch theme parks will act responsibly enough to continue the wildlife conservation efforts through the continued support of the Sea World & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.
This is a non-profit set up by A-B to provide funding for many terrestrial and aquatic research programs as well as habitat protection and animal rescue and rehabilitation.
So it’s not all about fun and games……

[MidnTPK]

wouldn't be surprised if the Six Flags Group bought them, that's EXACTLY what they do, they buy pre made theme parks and rebrand them.

just look at the history of Six Flags New England, Six Flags Great Adventure, just to name two.

Six Flags can't....they're on the verge of bankruptcy. Six Flag's stock is at its lowest point in 12 years right now at around 77 cents. So it doesn't have the money and Wall Street won't be providing them the capital for an acquisition.

Sheik Maktoum, on the other hand, could probably write a check from his personal account to buy the Busch Entertainment parks.

[big blue and hairy]

This is speculation of speculation. The Busch family doesn't want to sell. While they don't control that much stock, they hold huge sway over the board. It would definitely be a hoistile takeover, and huge loans would be in play.

This sounds to me a little like the Comcast takeover of Disney. How did that work out?

Ooooooook....never mind....