Doubts, Questions About Future of Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida

As a native and resident of Tampa, Florida, I have been watching with great curiosity---and concern---over the $52 billion sale of Anheuser-Busch to Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev, which includes a changing of the hands for the world-renowned Busch Gardens theme park here in Tampa.

Busch Gardens in Tampa, currently the oldest in the collection of Anheuser-Busch theme parks located across the United States, opened in 1959 and encompasses over 335 acres of rides, animals, shows, restaurants, and attractions which draws millions of people to the park each year. InBev purchased the Anheuser-Busch theme park division as part of the landmark sale. The question many in Tampa are asking is how the sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev will affect Busch Gardens. Will InBev, popularly known for its success at reducing costs and well-noted as not being interested in managing theme parks, sell Busch Gardens in Tampa?

Busch Gardens and the InBev Sale: A Dateline

1959: Anheuser-Busch opens Busch Gardens in Tampa as a 17-acre bird gardens adjacent to a brand new brewery.

1989: Anheuser-Busch acquires Sea World parks from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

1995: Busch Gardens announces the closure of the Tampa brewery; the beer facility is later demolished and the former brewery property is used for park attractions.

May 23, 2008: Fervor mounts as InBev's desire to purchase Anheuser-Busch officially goes public.

June 11, 2008: In a letter, InBev offers to buy Anheuser-Busch for $65 a share, totaling to a $46 billion bid.

June 26, 2008: Anheuser-Busch turns down InBev's $46 billion offer.

July 11, 2008: After days of internal strife between the two companies regarding a number of concerns, InBev increases offer to $70 per share, amounting to a total of $52 billion being offered to buy Anheuser-Busch.

July 14, 2008: InBev and Anheuser-Busch announce they have agreed to terms and the completion of the sale is now pending approval from Anheuser-Busch shareholders.

While Anheuser-Busch's sale to InBev is all but officially complete, the questions surrounding the future of Busch Gardens in Tampa have just started.