Spanish bank buys NBC Universal's stake in Port Aventura

Posted | Contributed by supermandl

Spain's biggest savings bank, La Caixa, said on Friday it had bought a 37% stake in Spanish theme park Port Aventura from NBC Universal for 25 million euro ($30 million), taking its total holding to 80%. Anheuser-Busch owns 14% while a Spanish toll road operator owns 6%.

Related parks

PortAventura

So since Port Aventura is no longer a Universal Theme park(I assume the licensing isn't affected and Univeral theming, if any, is still there), can this be considered an Anheuser-Busch park?;)

Busch Gardens Port Aventura, anyone?

I'd look at this as a first step for GE to selling other properties. First, the international market, then to FLA. My thought is they will sell the FLA parks and have a licensing agreement. Possibly keep the Hollywood park since it is too connected with the studio.

I doubt it would ever be an all-or-nothing sale. That said, I can't believe they wouldn't want to try and make it work first. Vivendi was never exactly the mark of good business sense.

....as further indicated by Messier's recent arrest in France...:)

I fully expect that with the business cycle upturn, and good management that ALL of the European mega-parks (Tussaud's, SF's, Universal's, ALL of them) will make *serious* money in the next five years, and all of the "previous owners" will end up regretting the decision to sell...time will tell.

edit: weird typos, LOL
*** This post was edited by rollergator 6/23/2004 2:24:05 PM ***

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