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Private equity firm Blackstone to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev NV theme parks

By Thomas Frommherz for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:October 4, 2009

Private equity firm Blackstone Group (BX.N) is in talks to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI.BR) NV’s theme parks, and a deal could be as early as next week, a source familiar with the situation said.

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that a deal could be roughly $2.5 billion to $3 billion. The theme parks unit includes amusement parks such as Sea World.

The theme parks include Sea World, Sesame Place and Busch Gardens.

The deal would add to Blackstone’s amusement holdings, which include Merlin Entertainment Group, the owner of Madame Tussauds wax museums, and Legoland. Blackstone also holds a 50 per cent stake in Universal Orlando theme parks.

Private equity firms have recently come to life, but deals are a fraction of the size of those done two years ago.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday on its Web site, citing unidentified people familiar with the deal. Sale of the Busch Entertainment unit, which owns such properties as Sea World and the Busch Gardens parks, has been regarded by some as InBev’s plan to help pay for its acquisition of Anheuser-Busch last year. The deal may still fall apart, sources told the Journal, but could also be announced as early as next week.

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