SeaWorld CEO stepping down

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- SeaWorld on Thursday announced CEO and President Jim Atchison is stepping aside an unspecified number of employees are being laid off.

Atchison will become vice chairman of the company's board of directors as of Jan. 15, a release from SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. said.

"It has been an honor to lead SeaWorld," Atchison said.

The move came after significant public relations problems with the theme park, stemming from the killing of trainer Dawn Brancheau by an orca, Tilikum, at the Orlando location.

Brancheau's death prompted a documentary by CNN, Blackfish, which alleges the theme parks mistreat their whales. The film prompted numerous musical acts to pull out of scheduled appearances at the SeaWorld's 11 locations.

SeaWorld has seen financial declines since the release of Blackfish, including a 33 percent fall in shares in the second quarter of 2014.

Bob Boyd, a leisure analyst with Pacific Asset Management, told the Orlando Sentinel SeaWorld's board of directors was likely looking for someone who can better handle the company's public-relations problems.

The board is likely looking for someone who is less concerned with "the operations of the park and a lot more about how do we ... get people to understand our product better, how do we handle the public relations and the media aspect of SeaWorld. I think that's the biggest challenge they have now."

Chairman David F. D'Alessandro is taking over as interim CEO until a permanent replacement for Atchison is found. The company did not reveal how many people with SeaWorld will be laid off due to restructuring.

Atchison will continue to serve as a consultant for SeaWorld for an annual fee of $440,000. He will also receive a $2.4 million severance package.