USA: SeaWorld Entertainment Appoints Marc Swanson CEO & Presents Q1 2021 Results

Recently, the US operator group SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. announced its results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 and in that course also the appointment of Marc Swanson as CEO with immediate effect. Swanson has been serving as interim CEO again since early 2020 when Sergio D. Rivera left the company (cf. EAP news of 7 Apr 2020). Elizabeth Castro Gulacsy officially takes over the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, which she has also been responsible for on an interim basis. The Board of Directors unanimously approved both appointments.

"After careful consideration and working closely with Marc and Elizabeth in their interim roles over the past year, the Board of Directors is confident they are the right leaders for SeaWorld as we emerge from this pandemic and continue executing on our long-term strategic plan," said Scott Ross, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Partner of Hill Path Capital, and added, "Over the past year, Marc and Elizabeth, alongside the Board, have continued to execute on the strategic initiatives we have been working on over the past several years and have taken the necessary decisive actions to position the company for long-term success. We look forward to their continued leadership as we work together to emerge a stronger and more efficient company and realize the full, long term potential of this great company and its irreplaceable assets and brands."

In the first quarter of 2021, the company hosted approximately 2.2 million guests at its related facilities and generated total revenues of 171.9 million USD (approx. 141.3 million EUR). Total attendance for the quarter decreased by 0.1 million, or 4.5%, when compared to the prior year quarter, when the Covid-19 pandemic commenced. Thanks to special operating restrictions for zoos and animal parks, most SeaWorld facilities have been able to reopen their animal areas to visitors for some time now, in compliance with safety and hygiene measures; rides can now also be experienced by guests again in the course of further easing measures in the US states (cf. EAP news of 26 March 2021). (eap)