SeaWorld Entertainment Inc.
SEAS,
said Tuesday it’s planning to change its name to United Parks & Resorts Inc. effective Feb. 12, and will change its stock ticker to PRKS from SEAS starting Feb. 13. The theme park operator has been mired in controversy in recent years over its treatment of killer whales and other marine mammals as highlighted by a critical documentary called “Blackfish”, opened a new aquatic life park in the United Arab Emirates last year, its first outside the United States. That park has no orcas, as the Associated Press reported. The company said its park brands will retain their names, which include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Sesame Place, Water Country USA, Adventure Island, and Aquatica. The company has 12 parks in the U.S. The stock was not yet active premarket but has fallen 18% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500
SPX,
has gained 22.5%.
