Merlin Entertainment, the proprietor of Legoland, shelved plans to sell Sea Life aquarium facilities.
Merlin Entertainments, the global theme park and attraction giant, has announced that it will not be selling more than half a dozen of its Sea Life visitor attractions, located in Blackpool, Brighton, Loch Lomond, and Scarborough, among others.
In a statement issued in response to an enquiry from a news website, Merlin explained that the decision to call off the auction was due to insufficiently attractive bids. Despite interest from private equity firms like Epiris and Platinum Equity, none of the offers met Merlin’s expectations, leading the company to shelve the sale process.
The group, which is the world's biggest theme park operator, continues to invest in its Sea Life aquariums to ensure they offer wonderful experiences for guests and inspire a love for the ocean and its creatures. As part of its long-term growth strategy, Merlin regularly reviews its estate, but will continue investing in its Sea Life aquariums to enhance guest experiences and inspire ocean conservation.
Merlin operates over 40 Sea Life aquariums worldwide, including popular attractions like Chessington World of Adventures and Alton Towers in the UK. The company remains open to future auctions if more attractive bids arise.
This decision aligns with Merlin’s broader strategic focus and estate management plans as they look to optimize their portfolio while maintaining investment in their core attractions. Merlin Entertainments, the owner of Legoland and Madame Tussauds, continues to be committed to providing unique and memorable experiences for its guests.
[1] BBC News, "Merlin Entertainments cancels sale of Sea Life attractions," 12 May 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news
[2] The Guardian, "Merlin Entertainments scraps plans to sell Sea Life visitor attractions," 12 May 2023, www.theguardian.com/business
[3] Sky News, "Merlin Entertainments abandons plans to sell Sea Life visitor attractions," 12 May 2023, www.skynews.com/business
Merlin Entertainments plans to continue investing in its Sea Life aquariums, which are part of its business, as a key component of their long-term growth strategy. Despite the company's decision to cancel the auction of several Sea Life attractions, Merlin remains open to future finance opportunities if more attractive bids arise.
