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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: November 18, 2008

TAMPA - Busch Gardens has begun offering Florida residents the 2009 Fun Card, good for year-round admission, including the remaining days in 2008, at $69.95 for adults and $59.95 for ages 3 to 9.

Rates are 8 percent and 9 percent higher, respectively, than the 2008 adult and children Fun Cards. Prices do not include the 7 percent Hillsborough County tax.

In January, Busch Gardens will replace the Fun Card with its "Pay for a Day" promotion, which will allow guests unlimited visitation without blackout dates for the price of a 2009 single-day admission. Those prices have not been released yet.

Other Fun Card offerings include a SeaWorld-Busch Gardens Combo Fun Card for $144.90 for adults and $124.90 for children, not including the 6.5 percent Orange County tax.

SeaWorld Fun Cards for 2009 cost $74.95 for adults and $64.95 for children.

Industry analysts have credited the strong revenue performance at Busch Entertainment parks with the concept of paying a single-day admission price for a year's worth of admissions. Parks benefit from parking, food and other concessions revenue from repeat visitors.

Theme parks, including Busch Entertainment's, generally do not reveal attendance or revenue figures.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay ranked 11th nationwide in the 2007 theme park attendance report, released in the May edition of Park World Magazine, with an annual attendance thought to be at about 4.5 million visitors.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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