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by Katie Rice
From the Orlando Sentinel
orlando –Ocean WorldSeaWorld’s first theme park outside of the U.S. Abu Dhabiwill open next year in the United Arab Emirates, with six marine environments, five floors of indoor attractions and no killer whales.
John Linn, SeaWorld’s vice president of global theme park development, said the park is the culmination of SeaWorld’s more than 50 years of theme park experience and will include “all the cool things we wanted to do but never got approved.”
“We didn’t have to work very hard at all to differentiate ourselves[from similar spots],” Linn said. “Quite frankly, the question I personally face is how do we explain to our board this extraordinary product that we have in the Middle East – why don’t we do it in the US?”
At the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo in Orlando this month, Lynn declined to share details about the park’s contents, but said it would rank among the world’s best aquariums and marine attractions.
“While I can’t give away any secrets, I can say without hesitation that what we’re doing, what we’re going to achieve, will amaze everyone,” he said. “It’s going to be something different, something unique.”
Abu Dhabi-based developer Miral, which is partnering with Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment on the project, said in September that construction on the Yas Island development is 90 percent complete and is expected to open sometime in 2023. SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson recently said he confirmed the general opening timeline during an earnings call on Nov. 9.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi was announced in 2016, with an initial target opening date of 2022. When it opens, the park will include one of the largest aquariums in the world, with more than 6.6 million gallons of water and 68,000 marine animals, as well as interactive exhibits, rides and a conservation-focused research and rescue center.
Since the park was announced, SeaWorld has said the park will not include orcas, also known as “killer whales” because of their natural hunting patterns.
For the past decade, SeaWorld has been trying to move on from its worrisome past with orcas. The backlash surged after the 2013 documentary “Blackfish” highlighted the hardships of keeping orcas in captivity using the story of SeaWorld Orlando’s killer whale Tilikum, which resulted in the deaths of three people, including trainer Dawn Brancheau.
In recent years, SeaWorld has ended its orca breeding program, phased out entertainment-based orca shows, and highlighted its longstanding focus on marine conservation.
“While killer whales are not part of the theme park, we will provide opportunities to educate the community and raise awareness of this inspiring creature, as well as other species of marine life,” SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’s website reads.
In an unsigned statement, SeaWorld said the park would include the United Arab Emirates’ “first dedicated center for marine life research, rescue, rehabilitation and return,” which would specialize in the ecology of native marine life in the Persian Gulf system and is committed to advancing global conservation efforts.
Swanson said the park “really showcases what the next generation of SeaWorld can and will be,” as it expands the SeaWorld brand to an international audience.
The park’s habitats will be entirely indoors, and Linn said he was initially “scared to death” because the attraction focuses on the natural world. But Miral helped the project exceed expectations, he said.
“I’m very proud of how we executed it,” he said.
One challenge of the indoor environment was to re-establish natural lighting for the marine life it inhabits. Lynn said SeaWorld’s team created innovative lighting technology to simulate full-spectrum sunlight.
“I can’t disclose numbers, but you can buy a secondary, maybe even a major attraction for the amount of money we’ve invested in this project and light our animals,” he said.
In recent years, theme park companies have chosen Abu Dhabi to expand their brands. Warner Bros. opened the world’s largest indoor theme park there in 2018, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and this week announced a new addition to the park, a Harry Potter theme park.
Since 2006, SeaWorld has been trying to expand into Middle Eastern countries, Linn said. The company’s first attempt was the defunct Discovery World project in Dubai, which was canceled after the 2008 financial crisis.
SeaWorld also wanted to build an attraction in China, but ultimately, “the UAE is really the right place for us,” he said, speaking on a panel titled “The Future of Entertainment and Leisure in the Middle East, the UAE and Abu Dhabi.” Say. “
It turned out to be a lucky decision, Linn said, because China’s “zero COVID” policy has shut theme parks like Shanghai Disneyland several times during the pandemic.
“I’m glad we landed where we are,” Lynn said. “I can’t imagine ever being involved in a project like this…anywhere but Abu Dhabi.”
The property is just the tip of the iceberg of SeaWorld’s expansion plans. As the company completes the project, it is already planning future international properties elsewhere, Swanson said Nov. 9.
“We continue to advance discussions related to other international opportunities and look forward to sharing more in the coming quarters,” Swanson said.
© 2022 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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