May 18, 2009

Recession gives debut of SeaWorld's Manta unexpected twist   

By Jason Garcia
Sentinel Staff Writer

When ride designers sat down three and a half years ago to begin work on Manta, SeaWorld Orlando's new roller coaster, business at the resort was booming.

But when SeaWorld formally opens its new flagship attraction this week, it will do so amid the worst economic bust in at least a quarter-century.

The starkly different economic environment makes Manta's debut even more important — for SeaWorld and for the rest of Orlando's tourism industry, as both brace for the most challenging summer in years.

"It's critical that this is a home run," said Dan Brown, general manager of SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica. "And we think it's going to be."

Executives say Manta, which combines a 56-mph inverted roller coaster with a walk-through aquarium stocked with 300 species of rays, is the most expensive attraction yet built by Busch Entertainment Corp.

They won't give a price tag. Permits filed with Orange County government put the construction cost at about $20.8 million, though experts say that figure likely excludes some significant ride-related expenses, such as research and design.

It's nearly impossible to time the opening of such an elaborate attraction, which takes years to plan and build. But industry consultants say SeaWorld executives are likely grateful that Manta is opening in the midst of the prolonged, global recession.

Missing out on buzz?

Steve Baker, president of Baker Leisure Group and a former Walt Disney World executive, said the new coaster — the only one of its kind in Orlando — should soften any further blows at SeaWorld, even if travel overall to Orlando continues to slump.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Busch Entertainment, reported earlier this month that sales at its theme parks fell 18 percent during the first three months of the year when compared with the same period a year ago.

"It's a good little insurance policy," Baker said of the new ride. "It gives them [SeaWorld marketers] a little bit of leverage. If they had nothing to talk about, plus the economy is bad, they'd be scratching their heads."

There are risks in the timing. The recession will make it difficult for SeaWorld to realize the full burst of business that usually follows the opening of a new attraction, as some consumers opt to stay closer to home this summer, if they travel at all. And the novelty of a new ride wears off quickly, particularly as newer attractions are introduced.

"There is sort of a short shelf life to a new attraction as far as the attention it's going to get," said John Gerner, managing director of Leisure Business Advisors in Richmond, Va.

Universal Orlando will face a similar challenge with its own new roller coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Universal's ride was initially supposed to open this spring alongside Manta but has since been pushed back to sometime during the summer. But Universal will also be the site of the next big thing in Orlando tourism: the long-awaited Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is scheduled to open by next summer.

A spokesman for Universal would not comment.

Avoiding a severe dip

Still, Gerner said any financial boost that Manta can provide now is especially valuable.

"You may not get as big a bump, but you'll prevent a decrease. And in some ways, that may be better," said Gerner, a former operation supervisor at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. "Because it's those bad years that can really rattle the health of a park."

For their part, SeaWorld executives say the schedule is ideal. Brown noted that Manta, with its grand opening Friday, is arriving only a year after SeaWorld opened its new water park, Aquatica, giving the resort two major additions to tout to consumers.

"We're very fortunate to have all of our attractions opening at this time," Brown said.

Joe Couceiro, Busch Entertainment's chief marketing officer, said the company will focus its efforts this year promoting Manta in Florida and in nearby markets across the Southeast before making a national push next year. He said the attraction should prove a strong lure for travelers made wary by the lingering recession.

"It's perfect timing," Couceiro said.

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel.