Massive Sink Hole Opens up Inside Central Florida Theme Park

in Busch Gardens

An aerial wide shot of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during a bright, sunny day in Central Florida.

Credit: Inside The Magic

It would seem the earth has decided to swallow up some ground as a sinkhole within a Central Florida theme park. It opened up near an attraction, leading to some unfortunate circumstances.

Scorpion, high-speed roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Credit: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

In Which Theme Park Did the Sink Hole Open? Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

The giant sinkhole that opened up earlier this month was inside Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The theme park is a 335-acre family-friendly theme park in Tampa, Florida. It features over 2,700 animals, eleven rides, and themed entertainment.

The park is themed around Africa and Asia. It also has a playground, restaurant, and bar. The theme park had to shut its doors in August after inclement weather struck the area, leading to powerful storms and heavy rainfall.

The park faced some scrutiny from the fanbase following a TikTok video that went viral showing the horrible condition of one of Busch Garden’s water attractions. A guest filmed themselves getting struck in the face by an overlapping tree branch that has guests second-guessing whether or not they will get on the ride.

The theme park is dealing with a massive sinkhole that opened up earlier this month.

theme park sinhkole - Front entrance to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida
Credit: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Sinkhole Opens Up Next to Attraction Inside Theme Park

According to Bay News 9, a sinkhole measuring 15 feet deep and 15 feet wide opened up and was discovered in the early morning hours of November 18. The news broke after a pollution notice from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) went public about the incident.

Bay News 9 reported on the exact location of the sinkhole, which happened within a backstage area of the park not far from the Congo River Rapids attraction. Bay News 9 mentioned that the Tampa Bay Times was the first to report the sinkhole news.

Since the sinkhole opening up, an estimated 2.5 million gallons of wastewater have spilled into the hole. A spokesperson for the theme park, Eddie Delgado, did speak to Bay News 9, mentioning the following:

On November 18, we reported the opening of a sinkhole under one of our retention ponds to the Florida Departement of Environmental Protection. The opening drained the pond of water underground. Water levels are monitored 24×7 and we were alerted to the issue as water levels began to slowly drop in the morning.

– Eddie Delgado, Busch Gardens spokesperson

theme park sinhkole - Front entrance sign to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida
Credit: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

At this time, no injuries or sustained damage to the park have been reported—no word on whether or not the theme park will shut its doors to resolve these matters. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has the necessary measures to deal with these things.

In June, when a man recklessly leaped into an alligator exhibit, the theme park did an excellent job putting up fencing and barriers to keep guests away from the enclosure. It boosted safety measures even months after the incident.

Follow Inside The Magic for more updates and details surrounding this sinkhole matter at this theme park.

in Busch Gardens

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