UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): October 9, 2015
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| Delaware | 001-35883 | 27-1220297 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 9205 South Park Center Loop, Suite 400 | ||
| Orlando, Florida | 32819 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(407) 226-5011
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8–K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a–12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a–12) |
| ¨ | Pre–commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d–2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d–2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre–commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e–4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e– 4(c)) |
| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On October 9, 2015, SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing it will review its options in light of the California Coastal Commission’s approval of the Company’s Blue World Project at SeaWorld San Diego with certain conditions. The full text of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
The information set forth under this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing made by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits |
| Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| Exhibit 99.1 | Press release of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., dated October 9, 2015. | |
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| SEAWORLD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. | ||||||
| Date: October 9, 2015 | By: | /s/ G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor | ||||
| Name: | G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor | |||||
| Title: | Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | |||||
Exhibit 99.1
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Announces it will Review Options Regarding its Blue World Project
ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 9, 2015 — SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) (the “Company”) announced today that it will review its options in light of the California Coastal Commission’s (the “Commission”) approval of the Company’s Blue World Project with certain conditions. Those conditions include prohibiting breeding or transporting the whales at the facility.
“While we appreciate the opportunity to present the Blue World Project to the Commission, and are pleased that the Commission recognizes the benefits of the planned expansion, we are disappointed with the conditions they have placed on their approval,” said Joel Manby, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “Depriving these social animals of the natural and fundamental right to reproduce is inhumane and we do not support this condition.”
Named the Blue World Project because of its size and scope, this first-of-its-kind killer whale environment is planned to have a total water volume of 10 million gallons, nearly double that of the existing facility.
About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company delivering personal, interactive and educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and enable its customers to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world we share. The Company owns or licenses a portfolio of globally recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Shamu® and Busch Gardens®. Over its more than 50-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 11 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection of approximately 89,000 marine and terrestrial animals. The Company’s theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 26,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.
Copies of this and other news releases as well as additional information about SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. can be obtained online at www.seaworldentertainment.com. Shareholders and prospective investors can also register to automatically receive the Company’s press releases, SEC filings and other notices by e-mail by registering at that website.
Contacts:
Investor Relations Inquiries:
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
855.797.8625
Investors@seaworld.com
Media Inquiries:
Fred Jacobs
Vice President of Communications
Fred.Jacobs@seaworld.com
Source: SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.