SeaWorld Entertainment Corporate News (Old Leadership Thread)

[Brian G.]

More info coming in a sec but basic rundown -

Jim Dean, President of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island, has been named park president of the company’s Orlando parks, SeaWorld, Aquatica and Discovery Cove. Stewart Clark, Vice President of Discovery Cove, has been named park president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island. The changes will be effective January 16, 2017.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Announces Leadership Changes for SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa « Orlando United

 

[WAJAS]

Anybody know this BGT guy? I don't really keep track of that park. Did he do anything significant while he ran the parks? Any big policies, programs, or projects?

I wonder what he'll bring to SWO.

 

[Brian G.]

Anybody know this BGT guy? I don't really keep track of that park. Did he do anything significant while he ran the parks? Any big policies, programs, or projects?

I wonder what he'll bring to SWO.

@hatetofly is a big fan of him, and has long wanted Dean to come to Orlando. He's pretty happy about it now

 

[Viator]

This is a great change, as he has clearly shown his worth with multiple projects that have been extremely recieved as rather well.

I can't wait to see what happens with him now as the head of SWO and Aquatica.

 

[WAJAS]

@hatetofly is a big fan of him, and has long wanted Dean to come to Orlando. He's pretty happy about it now

So @hatetofly, who is this guy?

Why are you excited?

I'm gonna miss the current guy. He wasn't a good public speaker, but he was passionate. If he wanted a project done, then it was more than likely happening eventually. The Passholder Lounge was his idea after all.

 

[SeaWorldRocks]

I am also curious as to what and why you are excited. Donnie was very passionate with the company and I thought he had an amazing career. Going to be sad to see his legacy come to an end

 

[Hatetofly]

I'll explain in detail a little later but as @BriMan stated I am a huge fan of Jim and everything he brings to the table. He's a great leader and you'd be hard pressed to find any leader at BGT who'd disagree. But I'll elaborate more when I have time.

 

[GAcoaster]

BGT has really made great changes while Jim has been in charge there, and I think he'll bring good new energy to SWO.

Stewart Clark seems like a good choice for promotion with his zoological background and accomplishments with Discovery Cove.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Interesting...

Seaworld generally considered BGT to be its own entity and a bit off a one-off that did its own thing. At meetings you'd hear about the "Seaworld way..." and then the omnipresent caveat that BGT doesn't do things that way, because it's BGT.

So functionally it might be the best move for the park - finally getting the heck over it's own ego and actually changing things (a whole lot of stubbornness and "if we stick to what we do this will blow over and people will come back - we did no wrong" behind the scenes.)

As often as I complain about Disney being a company that won't admit it ever made a mistake - that's publically. Backstage the areas are fighting over whose fault everything is at any given moment. It makes forum arguments look pleaseant. Seaworld on the other hand had this sort of cult mentality that nothing wrong ever happened and the rest of the world just needed to get over it and get back to loving Seaworld.

 

[GAcoaster]

BGT is very much a "local park" that draws international visitors due to its proximity to Orlando, and that is very much the model they are looking at for SWO. Market to and become a destination for locals, but still appeal to the tourist crowds.

 

[shiekra38]

In its hayday BGT far exceeded SW in every way...I would say today BGT has stagnated a bit, and SW has gotten worse

 

[Mad Dog]

A couple more coasters & Sea World could be that Six Flags type park that gets the local teenagers demo to augment their family demo.

 

[SeaWorldRocks]

A couple more coasters & Sea World could be that Six Flags type park that gets the local teenagers demo to augment their family demo.

Exactly what I never wanted SeaWorld to become. So sad but this is what manby wants the parks to be now.

 

[GAcoaster]

In its hayday BGT far exceeded SW in every way...I would say today BGT has stagnated a bit, and SW has gotten worse

The company has had to compromise to survive, but nothing that can't be undone in the future.

Exactly what I never wanted SeaWorld to become. So sad but this is what manby wants the parks to be now.

Not necessarily what Manby or anyone WANTS the parks to become but the reality of what they are and have to be right now. Without the unconditional cash from AB behind the parks thay have to do what is necessary to make money for shareholders. Maybe someday they will not have that burden and get bought out by a bigger company whose sole focus is not theme parks, but until then they need to make business decisions to turn a profit.

 

[shiekra38]

A couple more coasters & Sea World could be that Six Flags type park that gets the local teenagers demo to augment their family demo.

I really hope it doesn't come to that...There is a fine line between a world class coaster park and a Six Flags...I imagine Sea World Parks shooting for something more like Knotts

 

[quinnmac000]

Even with new leadership, SeaWorld seems to remain underwater.

SeaWorld CEO struggles to gain Wall Street’s faith in turnaround

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Kinda hard for them to not struggle when the last 7 years have been filled with bad decisions and shortcomings. You can only blame Blackfish so much before you have to stop and look at yourself. Short sighted additions like Kraken VR only cheapen the value of SeaWorld. They're struggling to find their identity right now.

 

[epcyclopedia]

At some point they have to admit they chose the wrong side of a particular argument - if not from the moral standpoint, then from a business perspective.

Viewing their current audience and using them as a basis for decision making is only going to hurt them. They need to find a way to win back the other side and that very much means not doing what they've always done and *gasp* changing.

There's not enough people left on their side to survive.

I can very much see them going, right now, "well the guests in our parks love XYZ - we need to advertise more."

No, no you don't SeaWorld. You need to appeal to the guests who aren't in your park in a substantial way.

 

[SeaWorldRocks]

Even with new leadership, SeaWorld seems to remain underwater.

SeaWorld CEO struggles to gain Wall Street’s faith in turnaround

Very true but its not just wall street they have not gained back but the former fans of the park as well. They have lost me and many of my friends as well.

 

[Mad Dog]

Very true but its not just wall street they have not gained back but the former fans of the park as well. They have lost me and many of my friends as well.

Blackstone destroyed the entire chain, as they almost destroyed Universal. That's what happens with these predator Investment corporations........IF SeaWorld fixes their problems, and somehow survives, they could have their employees wear T shirts saying, "We Survived the Blackstone Years" ,