Busch Gardens parent company reports $79M loss in third quarter

TAMPA — SeaWorld Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Busch Gardens Tampa, reported a net loss of $79.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. 

In a press release, the Orlando-based company attributed the loss to operational changes brought on by the COVID-19 crisis, as well as a much higher number of seasonal pass holders visiting its properties when they reopened during the summer. However, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, overall attendance was sharply down, dropping to 1.6 million from 6.6 million during the same period in 2019. 

Total revenue, the release states, was $106.1 million — a decline of $367.5 million from the third quarter of 2019. Despite the losses, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. CEO Marc Swanson praised the company’s pandemic response.