Friday, September 11, 2009
A SeaWorld-Busch Rumor With (some) Credibility
I've never taken all the chatter about who'll buy Busch very seriously. For my money, it's all been guesswork based on nothing more than hunches.
But the recent news that Merlin plans an IPO does tend to make you sit up and take notice.
The oft cited estimate for how much the Busch theme parks are work is between $3 and $4.5 billion.
But the recent news that Merlin plans an IPO does tend to make you sit up and take notice.
Merlin, whose holdings include Legoland theme parks, Madame Tussauds wax museums and the London Eye, is close to finalizing a plan for an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange, according to a report last weekend in The Independent of London.
The offering is expected to raise more than $3 billion, the newspaper reported. Merlin is owned by a private-equity giant, the Blackstone Group, which also holds a 50 percent stake in Universal Orlando.
The oft cited estimate for how much the Busch theme parks are work is between $3 and $4.5 billion.
Labels: anheuser busch seaworld orlando, inbev, merlin entertainments, universal orlando
