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[Swoosh]

A hostile would be hard as there is no public common stock to purchase via proxy.

SEAS is in the midst of a stock buyback of over 100 million shares

It will take couple of years to get the financials right  for SEAS.

At that time  Dollywood will have a resort up and running and a major new ride. SDC will have another attraction by then as well. Those would add profit generating parks and diversify the portfolio more.

Maybe the family opts to take a huge sum of money and walk away. I don't see HFE going for less a billion.

Hostile in the fact SEAS would just write a blank check to HFEC -- as in they (SEAS) don't take no for an answer. The Herschend Brothers are not getting any younger.  It remains to be seen if the next generation had any interest in continuing the family owned aspect of the business. 

[chittlins]

A hostile would be hard as there is no public common stock to purchase via proxy.

SEAS is in the midst of a stock buyback of over 100 million shares

It will take couple of years to get the financials right  for SEAS.

At that time  Dollywood will have a resort up and running and a major new ride. SDC will have another attraction by then as well. Those would add profit generating parks and diversify the portfolio more.

Maybe the family opts to take a huge sum of money and walk away. I don't see HFE going for less a billion.

Hostile in the fact SEAS would just write a blank check to HFEC -- as in they (SEAS) don't take no for an answer. The Herschend Brothers are not getting any younger.  It remains to be seen if the next generation had any interest in continuing the family owned aspect of the business. 

That's not hostile, that is an unsolicited cash offer. Jack and Pete are the second generation, most always the third generation does poorly if they are actively involved. A huge offer would fund all the personal interests of the family (charities, endowments, ect) for a long time to come.

[shavethewhales]

Exactly, and I'm still not drawing this connection that so many others around the web are making. SEAS is a struggling company currently on a course for potential downsizing or even failure. HFEC is a rapidly growing company that is poised for even more rapid growth in the near future. Why would SEAS be in a position to spend the billions it would take to buy out HFEC? Why would they add on a huge new class of properties onto an already poorly performing system?

I mean, maybe I'm just being optimistic here, but I don't see SEAS doing much of anything except focusing on it's own improvement for the next five years. Even if things are going really well for them after that it still won't make sense to splurge billions on such a large array of diverse properties. Ten, fifteen years down the road no one knows what will happen, but like I say, it could be HFEC buying SEAS.

[sanddunerider]

Exactly, and I'm still not drawing this connection that so many others around the web are making. SEAS is a struggling company currently on a course for potential downsizing or even failure. HFEC is a rapidly growing company that is poised for even more rapid growth in the near future. Why would SEAS be in a position to spend the billions it would take to buy out HFEC? Why would they add on a huge new class of properties onto an already poorly performing system?

I mean, maybe I'm just being optimistic here, but I don't see SEAS doing much of anything except focusing on it's own improvement for the next five years. Even if things are going really well for them after that it still won't make sense to splurge billions on such a large array of diverse properties. Ten, fifteen years down the road no one knows what will happen, but like I say, it could be HFEC buying SEAS.

Shave,  agreed.

[chittlins]

Exactly, and I'm still not drawing this connection that so many others around the web are making. SEAS is a struggling company currently on a course for potential downsizing or even failure. HFEC is a rapidly growing company that is poised for even more rapid growth in the near future. Why would SEAS be in a position to spend the billions it would take to buy out HFEC? Why would they add on a huge new class of properties onto an already poorly performing system?

I mean, maybe I'm just being optimistic here, but I don't see SEAS doing much of anything except focusing on it's own improvement for the next five years. Even if things are going really well for them after that it still won't make sense to splurge billions on such a large array of diverse properties. Ten, fifteen years down the road no one knows what will happen, but like I say, it could be HFEC buying SEAS.

Time out, 4 of their parks are top 20 in the states. They have cut back on some things but so has Disney and HFE. They have made cuts, but it's similar to profitable parks as well. Just look at the cuts Disney made at Epcot. They did not handle the backlash from that propaganda piece called Blackfish well and underwhelmed on their new Penguin ride at Orlando but capital expenditures go on at all the parks. Taking a cue from Disney, they are going to maximize profit potential on value added experiences with their animals. Orlando presents a challenge due to the explosion of UNI. They need some blockbuster rides and they need to market them. They are completely missing out of the "On Resort" boom  that's capturing people for more than a day. SEAS was a little side business of Anheuser Busch but was divested when bought out by a multinational. It went private and them public with the unfortunate timing of the whole Blackfish thing.

They are sinking boocoo dolla in Orca habitats and that's admirable. It's basically upgrading them like most zoos and aquariums are doing to provide a more natural sitting but there's always going to be an anti captive element gunning for you. This goes for all zoos and aquariums. AB completely missed out the Aquarium boom across the country. You've seen outfits like Merlin and Landry's take this to another level not to mention Ripleys' and Herschend getting in on it. Oh and the municipal ones, too. That diminishes SeaWorld's core draw. Look Shark tubes are everywhere, my Girl and I swim with them at Typhoon Lagoon. They are going to have to add rides and I think there's still a place for smaller SeaWorld branded aquarium attractions. I'd steal a page out of Merlin's book and couple it with a Sesame Street dry attraction in strategic locations, They need to come up with spectacular things for the large parks as well, things you will never see in Tulsa or Atlanta or Chattanooga.

see the Ocean World Whale  Shark aquarium in China.


I think SeaWorld needs better marketing, and that alone will do wonders. They are playing too much defense.

But...maybe you are right, Manby maybe gets their books in order to sell them to HFE and that's the ultimate goal, go in and repair and then bring them home and Manby takes over HFE again. It's what we thought they were doing with Elitch and Darien Lake, get them in order and buy them out. Still it makes more sense for a public company to bring proven brands with established revenue streams in not the other way around and to get them performing well and take them private. Mostly struggling companies go private, like say, Eddie Bauer, to get it's house in order but almost always are sold back to a public outfit in time.

[History Buff]

I know we make wild predictions about new attractions and the like, but you guys may be barking up the wrong tree.  CEOs leave companies for better pay all the time, and companies hire or advance new CEOs.  That's more likely what will happen here.  I'm probably in the minority, but I wasn't a fan of Manby anyway.

[chittlins]

I know we make wild predictions about new attractions and the like, but you guys may be barking up the wrong tree.  CEOs leave companies for better pay all the time, and companies hire or advance new CEOs.  That's more likely what will happen here.  I'm probably in the minority, but I wasn't a fan of Manby anyway.

Herschend is going to change regardless. SEAS may never approach HFEC I would in a heartbeat, you add HFEC properties along with the untapped potential of the San Antonio SeaWorld in a booming state that lacks a destination theme park to 4 of the top 20 parks in the US and you have the making of a good sized money maker. It's not unlike Disney's collection of properties that's not originally theirs.

[runner1960]

Heck, I'm just wondering what they are going to do with all the unsold books?

[History Buff]

Heck, I'm just wondering what they are going to do with all the unsold books?

He can keep them there on consignment.

[Hatfield McCoy]

Wow!  This seems like a shocker. 

Queue Cosmo Kramer when talking about low flow showers, "I don't like the sound of that"...

I hope that doesn't mean big change on the horizon e.g. loss of BAF passes should a new corporate chief with new fangled ideas come along. 

I don't know if Manby had anything to do with those, but they have been a great way of building repeat guests.  We have taken two families of six at different times using our BAF passes.  Each time buying a ticket or two that we didn't have.  Both families went on to buy season passes.  Now that we are a family of six, that makes 18 passes between us.  Anyway, BAF passes and the like are a great marketing strategy that has to pay off in the end.  I may be way off, but I don't remember things like that before Manby came along.  Of course I could be wrong....I was once or thrice.

[Hollwood]

HFE has been shaken to its core... And you are worried about BAF's... Wow

[Hatfield McCoy]

HFE has been shaken to its core... And you are worried about BAF's... Wow

What?

Shaken to it's core?  Such drama! 

Yes, I am very worried about BAF's....just sick and scared and oh my! What will I do?  The sky is falling!  Good grief!

I was merely, light heartedly, doing two things:

Commenting on such a good job Manby did, and wondering if changes were coming, while giving an example.  That is what e.g. means.  Now that I have been thoroughly reprimanded for commenting; I will learn to keep my comments to myself...as assuredly a comment board is not the place for....comments.   

So disregard my obviously insensitive previous post and let me try again....

Gosh, it sounds like SDC is looking for a new manager....that is all. 

Was that generic enough?

[History Buff]

HM, you are fine with your comments.  I doubt if SDC would be offended by the thoughts you've shared.  We can wonder about how a change in leadership might affect SDC and how it might affect the public.  I doubt the Manby departure with be too earth-shattering anyway.

[joshblakebran]

The Herschends have poured their heart and soul into their company so I'm sure they will be very particular in who they hire. I'm sure they will be looking for someone with values much as their own and share their same vision for their properties.

[Hatfield McCoy]

Thanks History Buff.

I was just wondering out loud what changes might be in store if any.  I highly doubt the Herschends as long as they have crafted this business are too rattled.

I figure comments on this board are much more valuable/honest to SDC than prefabbed surveys.  I was actually attempting a compliment to the way things have been ran in the past several years.  We have been season pass members for years, and the BAF vouchers have allowed us to take 12 others with us.  Those parlayed into 12 new season pass holders, and since we keep coming back my family of six makes 18 season pass holders.  They must be doing something right. 

Also Blake; I'll bet you are right.  This isn't the Herschend's first rodeo.