In the balance [sheet]

In the June 14th post, Theme Park Update, I mentioned that InBev had submitted a takeover bid for Anheuser-Busch. Today, A-B agreed to the buyout. This is NOT good news for the theme parks, so we'll see what happens.

The biggest worry comes from the fact that there are currently no companies properly aligned to take them over. The only logical choice, Six Flags, is already strained by massive debt.

What this likely means is that InBev will be forced to hold onto the parks for a while until a suitor comes along, possibly meaning years of idleness.

Some analysis from Screamscape:

Busch Entertainment - (7/14/08) In a frightening move that most fans of the Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks will find utterly devastating, Anheuser-Busch has agreed to accept a new $70 a share cash offer from InBev to buy the company. The plan is to merge the two companies into a new bigger company called “Anheuser-Busch InBev” that will still push Budweiser as the flagship brand. The current St. Louis AB headquarters will remain as the companies North American HQ and the “global home’ of the Budweiser brand and the press release states that all 12 of the US Breweries will remain open. Unfortunately, there was no mention about the fate of the Busch Entertainment Theme Parks, though many analysts have long agreed that InBev was likely to attempt to sell them off at some point in the future. Currently they expect that the deal will be finalized by the end of the year, though I believe I read that the deal is still subject to stockholder approval, which means in the event of a stockholder revolt I suppose the deal could be turned down, but somehow I doubt that will happen with every stockholder being paid out $70 in cash for every BUD share that they own.


In other theme park news, Disneyland turns 53 this week (either on Thursday or Friday, long story...)

Also, I've made a minor update to my blog, which now includes headlines from some of the major theme park news sites on the net. So all the normal people can have a taste of my obsession.