SeaWorld San Diego Cleared to Open Ahead of Rivals Under Zoo Rules
SeaWorld Gets Zoo Designation to Reopen Before California Rivals
(Bloomberg) -- SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. won permission to reopen its California theme park, one of the company’s largest, under provisions reserved for zoos.
The park was cleared to welcome guests to its outdoor areas, though indoor aquariums must stay closed, according to Tegan Glasheen, a spokesman for San Diego County, which confirmed the decision Wednesday. The attraction’s rides will also remain closed.
Shares of SeaWorld rose as much as 2.8% to $19.37 in extended trading. The stock was down 41% this year through Wednesday’s close in New York.
The attraction, the company’s original theme park, has been closed since March due to the pandemic. California is one of the last states to open its theme-park businesses. Many attractions in Florida began opening in June. Walt Disney Co. had been scheduled to reopen its resorts in Anaheim, California, in July, but delayed the move indefinitely.
A spokeswoman for SeaWorld, which operates 12 parks, couldn’t immediately comment. On Facebook, the company posted a video of the San Diego property with the headline “Big News Coming.”
Other operators have also gotten creative. Knott’s Berry Farm, owned by Cedar Fair LP, partly opened in July for a food festival, but its rides remain closed. It’s located in Buena Park, California, near Disneyland.
Zoos and museums have won clearance to open by the state under a different set of guidelines than those that will govern theme parks.
SeaWorld is known for aquatic shows that feature killer whales, dolphins and sea lions. The San Diego park opened in 1964.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.