SeaWorld will permanently lay off an unspecified number of furloughed workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Some park and corporate personnel at the amusement park locations will be affected.
Officials said the decision was made to reduce operating expenses and adjust cash flows in the midst of decreased visitor attendance and revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, SeaWorld furloughed about 90% of employees earlier this year after parks were forced to shut down. In April, the company’s CEO resigned.
“Due to the sudden and unforeseeable economic impacts of the pandemic on the company’s business operations, that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time of the temporary furlough, the company has determined that it will transition certain park and corporate personnel from a furloughed status to a permanent layoff,” a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission reads.
SeaWorld executives plan to spend between $2.5 million and $3 million on severance packages for laid off employees, WFTV reported.
SeaWorld reported second-quarter losses of more than $130 million compared to the same time last year. Attendance and revenue were 96% lower than 2019′s Q2. All 12 of its parks were closed for nearly three months amid the pandemic this year.
Read more at WFTV.