Officials at SeaWorld announced on Thursday they're planning to build a resort overseas.

At a ceremony at Shamu Stadium in Orlando, park officials said they'll work with a United Arab Emirates developer to build the Worlds of Discovery, which will include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and Aquatica parks on a man-made island in Dubai.

The island will be shaped like a killer whale. The resort will include hotels, spas, stores and restaurants.

"Dubai has become one of the world's leading tourist destinations, and a key part of the strategy had been attracting world-class entertainment brands to the emirate," said Chris O'Donnell, chief executive of Nakheel PJSC, the property developer that will build the Worlds of Discovery.

More than 300 million cubic yards of sand and 10 million tons of rock were used to build the island that will hold the resort. Officials said reclamation of the island is nearly complete and could eventually support more than 280,000 people.

Busch Gardens Entertainment executives believe that Dubai parks will be an added marketing tool for SeaWorld Orlando, rather than the two parks competing for international tourists.

"I think visitors to Dubai are largely from the Asia Pacific region, Arab region and they don't visit Orlando a lot, so they're going to see our brands there and want to come see them again in Orlando, I think," Jim Atchison, president of Busch Entertainment, said.

The parks in Dubai will open in 2012.

SeaWorld Orlando hopes to make more news this weekend with the opening of its first water park, Aquatica.

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Article brought to you by Wesh 2 News, Orlando.
The offical announcment can be watched at ; www.worldsofdiscovery.com

Ugh. This is so frustrating. I mean, Anheuser Busch was an all American company. Now they're outsourcing for profit. D: It just... it just doesn't make sense to me.

They're also gonna have to move killer whale calfs from here to there... so that most likely includes Malia, Nalani, Trua, and maybe Kalia. Moving them would only cause stress not only on them, but on their mothers, fathers, and trainers. I mean... grah. It's so frustrating. XD

I'll stop before I write a book on it. XD

I recently visited Dubai, and it honestly does make sense. Dubai is going to become the "Best" tourist destination in the world. They are making all the world's best attractions in one place - even things like the eiffel tower and stuff. Seaworld will get rich off their resort there. Like it or not, the biggest force behind ANY company is making money, whether it is seaworld or disney or microsoft. And in order to make money, they are expanding to dubai.

But see, that's exactly it. They're outsourcing for profit. Did these people ever stop to think how it might affect the animals? Transporting a killer whale, or any other animal for that matter, half a planet away on a hot, stuffy plane is ridiculous. Sure, they may be able to spread a message about conservation... but Steve Irwin did that without building another zoo here in the US.

I mean... come on. What we care about are the animals... not profit.

And BEC was an all-American company. Great job, BEC. You can't be an all-American company when you have parks in Dubai, guys. >.>

You beat me to it on both posts. Imagine how much it will cost to transport 4 to 6 killer whales over 1,000 miles? EDIT; All the other SW mammals too. = ) It think it is too much for the animals to handle and some might pass away during the flight. I don't know just my opinion.

I completely agree.

Ok, badisbadis, I see where you're coming from. But STILL! These animals! The trainers! I don't think I could handle seeing Nalani, Trua, or Malia moving away! I really, really can't! I've been able to know them since they were born... and just knowing that they'll be moving away and I'll never see them again is just awful! I mean, this past summer when I visted SeaWorld, I saw Malia and Trua playing and interacting together! A brother and a sister killer whale are lucky enough to be living in the same park!

And to add to that, I was blessed to have a chance to interact with the three youngsters after the show! They came right up to me by the acrylic and looked at me! They wanted ME, out of everyone, to PLAY with them. I'll never, never, EVER forget that.

I mean, I'm open to your opinions and thoughts... but I am the SeaWorld expert here! I'm sorry if I've offended you, but afterall, I AM the SeaWorld guru.

Wooo, someone stop me before I rant on and on...

I don't know. I know I don't like the idea of Busch Entertainment opening a park halfway around the world. Your not the only SW guru here either. :P = D

Yeah, I see what you mean.

Oh, haha. I know! *glomps* Y'know I love ya buddy.

But yeah, I need to cool down. XD!

I dunno, yes it is very, very sad that they have to transport the animals by plane, but yet, I dunno.
It's a really tough subject, because with a Sea World there, the company will be able to make a lot of money, which in turn, will be able to be used to create better enclosures etc.
In addition, I hope that with the increased tourism in the Arab region, their treatment of women and minorities will get better and we can have less of this fear of Arabs here.
So yeah, definitely pros and cons, but I really do think having the increased funds will help.

And how do you know they will be moving all of those whales? It doesnt say that in the article unless I missed something, which is highly possible XD.

I mean I could see Busch Entertainment opening a new park in the United States, ( maybe on up north farther. Hee Hee Hee. ) But still it is hard on the animals if they are marine or not. Ahh!! * Okay, need to calm down, deep breaths... = D

Yes, indeed. An incredibly tough subject.

But. Oh gosh. I don't know. Yes, money... good! Animals stressed... bad!

And it's not just a SeaWorld... it's a SeaWorld, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, AND Busch Gardens. The Aquatica in Orlando just opened this past Saturday, and they announced this before it opened? I mean, really? Really BEC?

No, you didn't miss anything. = D But also transporting dolphins for Discovery Cove, transferring giraffes to Busch Gardens .... I wonder how giraffes will fit in an airplane... lol.

Sorry, I'll be quiet now. XD

They invest a lot of money in their animals so I doubt they'll actually transfer them in a way that causes stress or worse on their premium assets. Also, they're EXPANDING, not RELOCATING, which means they'll probably just be getting more killer whales instead of moving all their existing ones.

Yes, I agree with ShenTirag.
In addition, a lot of the animals were probably transported to get to the ones in the US. I mean, to get the giraffes in the first place they did have to come from Africa lol ;) And they have manatees in San Diego, which is very far from Florida.
I am sure they will do everything they can to make the trip easy for the animals, I highly doubt the plane will be "hot and stuffy" :D

Oh Boy!



EDIT: Sorry, I mis-read. Ignore the stuff I typed in this post earlier.

No, Penguinman, you didn't miss anything. ;) It's just that they're not going to move adult killer whales across the world. Trust me. I've heard everything about them moving killer whales to the different SeaWorlds in the US. I know how they work things.

@ Shen - But is there any way to move an animal so it is not stressed? Unless you sedate it of course... but I don't think sedatives work on cetaceans. (Don't take my word for it) Also, SeaWorld doesn't capture wild animals anymore, if that's what you mean. They'll either move whales from Loro Parque (doubt it. They don't have calfs), MarineLand Canada (no calfs either, and the MLC whales have a gene disorder that results in death), or one of the three SeaWorlds. So most likely, it will be a SeaWorld whale that will be moved. And like I told Penguinman, it will most likely be a calf. Now there's also the possibility that more calfs could be born... but STILL. XD

Oh goodness. Look what y'all do to me. XD (Jk)

Well, If they do move whales from different SW parks, I hope they take two to three so they don't get lonley like Lolita at MiamiSeaQuarium.

Well they had to get some killer whales at Seaworld in the first place...

If you're going to say that there's no way they can ever move any animal anywhere without it being stressed...then why do you even support their enterprise anyway?

Yes, But that was almost 40 years ago. Almost all of them, don't take my word on this) except Tillikum at SWF, are the only whales captured from the wild that are still alive in captivity. Correct me if i'm wrong, Rylleigh. = D

Actually, may I correct you orcalover22?

@ Shen - Well, yes, I know this. In fact, Tilikum, Katina, Corky, Kasatka, and Ulises are killer whales at the SeaWorld parks that were captured. But I know that Tilikum, Corky, Kasatka, and Ulises all resided at other parks before moving to a SeaWorld. SeaWorld does not capture animals or buy captured animals anymore. It's been that way for 15 years now.

And it's not that I don't support them. Don't go there. Really.

Yes, you may. = D Did you just edit your post, because I swear I saw something there about Lolita being lonley after Hugo passed?

Yeah, I did. Lolita has been very lonely since Hugo passed. But anyways... back on topic now. ;)

They're a true all-American company - following in the vein of capitalism!

Ok, I've had enough. I'll start something and I really don't want to continue this.

I want this argument to stop.

Please don't insult me and SeaWorld. I just wanted to talk about the animals. But apparently it has to turn into a huge fight.

Okay, I have to the power to close my own topic. So, closed. = D

I don't want anybody to start getting mad at anyone.