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Brewer's Purchase Clouds Park's Future

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By TED JACKOVICS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2008

TAMPA - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, widely considered one of Tampa Bay's premier visitor attractions, has had roots in Tampa for nearly 50 years, but those roots are being upended a bit as the ownership of the park comes into question with the purchase of its parent, beer giant Anheuser-Busch Cos.

Not only does the park provide more than 4,000 full- and part-time jobs for Tampa area residents, it draws millions of visitors annually - 4.5 million from around the globe in 2007. It also fuels millions of dollars in local business and philanthropic investments.

What's more, the brand and image of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay contributes to the identity of the Tampa region.

"It is obvious they have been a very good community partner," said Travis Claytor, spokesman for Tampa Bay & Co., a quasi-public agency that markets Hillsborough County's tourism industry. "Busch Gardens is a name that is internationally known, and helps us create the unique destination that is Tampa Bay."

If there's any doubt what a magnet for tourism and tourism dollars the theme park is, two reports drive it home.

A 2007 Bonn Marketing Research Group Inc. report for Hillsborough County's tourism industry found Busch Gardens rated 9.3 on a scale of 1 to 10 as a "top-tier influence" for reasons to visit Tampa, ranking second only to visiting friends and relatives.

The most recent tourism consultant report from Pinellas County, whose beaches rank as Tampa Bay's top draw, showed 11.9 percent of Pinellas' 529,000 overnight visitors in May visited Busch Gardens, compared with 11.3 percent who visited Disney World in Orlando.

"We are proud of our work in the community, the payroll taxes we pay and the millions in philanthropic and other endeavors, like the United Way, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the convention and visitors bureaus in Tampa Bay and Orange County, and the travel industry statewide," said Gerard Hoeppner, senior director of global communications for Busch.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is estimated to have spent more than $40 million to open its newest attraction, Jungala, in April and a similar amount opening and upgrading the SheiKra coaster attraction in recent years.

Busch Entertainment also supports local vendors, such as Fast Lane Clothing Co. in the Tampa Belmont Heights neighborhood, which has won contracts to make hundreds of shirts for Busch Gardens and SeaWorld employees.
Busch Gardens got its start in 1959 as a beer hospitality facility for the Anheuser Busch brewery in Tampa. The operations manager who took over in 1971 began to add small attractions, such as a railway and a sky ride in the early 1970s. They were followed by larger attractions, such as the Congo area with the Mamba roller coaster in 1977.

Today, the park is the 11th most popular theme park attraction in the United States, according to a 2007 report by the Themed Entertainment Association and Economics Research Associates.

"The big question is who is going to own the park in the next three years," said Graham Brooks, who created and operates the FloridaThrills.net Web site.

"Florida parks are a lot higher quality and Busch Gardens is no exception. If a park like Six Flags took over, you would wonder if they would keep the same management, perform the same maintenance, maintain the same quality."

"The Busch Gardens, SeaWorld parks are the best run operations in the business," said Thom Stork, who heads The Florida Aquarium in Tampa and is a former Busch executive.

"The leadership is comprised of some of the best minds in the business, with an overriding objective to exceed guests' expectations. My hope is that any new owner will share that objective."

Ted Jackovics can be reached at tjackovics@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7817.

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