SeaWorld CEO to step down, job losses planned
Amid falling attendances and negative publicity that refuses to go away quietly, SeaWorld’s CEO is stepping down.
Jim Atchison will make way January 15 and will be replaced by current chairman David D’Alessandro as interim chief executive while a permanent successor is found.
That process could take several months, the company said.
Jim Atchison had served as CEO and president since 2009.
He will become vice chairman and be nominated to the board of its nonprofit conservation fund.
Theme park attendances have fallen in three of the past four quarters while the company has been battling negative publicity since the release of the ‘Blackfish’ documentary last year, which was highly critical of SeaWorld’s treatment of captive orcas.
SeaWorld also announced an unspecified number of job losses as the result of a company-wide restructuring program that will affect all 11 parks.
It aims to cut operating costs by $50 million a year by the end of 2015.
In the wake of the ‘Blackfish’ controversy, SeaWorld’s stock value has plummeted 44% this year.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt