PETA offers to buy SeaWorld property

NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it has a donor willing to buy at least one of the three SeaWorld entertainment parks in the United States.

The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Sunday that PETA sent a letter to InBev president Carlos Brito, saying the group has an unnamed donor who wants to buy at least one of the SeaWorld parks with the intention of freeing the sea animals to the wild or releasing them to a marine sanctuary.

Since InBev announced its takeover of Anheuser-Busch several weeks ago, there has been speculation that the Belgian company would unload the Busch theme parks, which include Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg and the SeaWorld parks in San Antonio, San Diego and Orlando, Fla.

If the PETA donor acquires of the parks, its animal exhibits would be replaced with virtual reality, interactive displays, said Lisa Wathne, an exotic-animal specialist with PETA.

"The opportunity to get these animals out of SeaWorld and the educational opportunities it would provide would be well worth it to us," Wathne said.

But Fred Jacobs, vice president of communications for Busch Entertainment, said the company is not taking the PETA letter seriously.

"I can tell you that we view this as a publicity stunt," Jacobs said.