After just seven months at the helm of SeaWorld Entertainment, Gustavo “Gus” Antorcha has resigned as chief executive and board member of the publicly traded theme park operator effective immediately.
SeaWorld has been in turmoil since the anti-captivity documentary “Blackfish” came out in 2013. While attendance at the company’s 12 theme parks rebounded somewhat last year after bottoming out in 2017, it remains below 2012 levels. And while the company returned to profitability in 2018 after two years of losses, its revenue has never recovered fully to levels prior to the documentary. With Antorcha’s departure, SeaWorld will be looking for its fourth CEO in the past five years.
Ross added that “the strategy we have in place is working and we have made significant progress. We look forward to continuing to execute on this strategy and driving a meaningful increase in value for all stakeholders.”SeaWorld hired Antorcha in February. An outsider to the theme park business, he was previously chief operating officer with Carnival cruise line, where he had worked for more than eight years.
“Animals are absolutely core to the experience of SeaWorld,” said Antorcha. “Animal experiences make us unique, and the other competition doesn’t have that. Yes, we’ve been adding more roller coasters but they’re all linked back to education and conservation. If you look more broadly, we’re trying to make sure a family will have a great day at the park, and thrill rides done the way SeaWorld does them help round out that experience.
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