The future of Shamu’s home has been thrown into a sea of uncertainty after the Belgium-based brewery, InBev, merged with American Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch earlier this month.
Anheuser-Busch includes many companies unrelated to beer or brewing, which could be sold off, according to InBev officials.
InBev officials said the company could potentially sell some of these “noncore assets.”
Anheuser-Busch owns the SeaWorld franchise under the Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC). That raises questions over how the deal could affect the park’s future, though it would be some time before anybody knows for certain, InBev spokesperson Nina Devlin said.
“At this point it’s still too premature to discuss which businesses, specifically, would be considered,” Devlin said. “But it will be the result of a diligent review, and [InBev] know[s] that these businesses are important to the community, so it would be with the goal to create the best opportunities for all constituents.”
Little is known about how the deal would potentially affect SeaWorld.
SeaWorld San Diego representatives remain reticent about the merger and have directed all questions to InBev officials.
The two beer giants merged as part of an estimated $52 billion deal, announced Monday, July 14. InBev bought Anheuser-Busch for about $70 a share, according to an InBev statement.
InBev, known for its big beer brands like Stella Artois and Becks, has stated it wants to keep Budweiser as its flagship brand in the U.S. while going global with the brand.
The two companies will be known as Anheuser-Busch InBev, according to the statement.
BEC parks potentially affected by the deal include SeaWorld parks in Florida, Texas and California. Other marine-related theme parks and, of course, the famed Busch Gardens in Virginia and Florida could be affected. BEC also runs a Sesame Street-themed park.
SeaWorld park officials will not release attendance information. However, the San Diego Business Journal reported SeaWorld San Diego attracted 4.3 million visitors in 2006.
Other Anheuser-Busch companies that don’t involve brewing include the Anheuser-Busch Packaging Group, Inc., Busch Properties, Inc. Manufacturers Railway Company, Anheuser-Busch Agricultural Operations and the St. Louis Refrigerated Car Co., according to the Anheuser-Busch website.