SeaWorld’s Legal Troubles Worsen, Going Back to Court

SeaWorld San Diego has failed to settle its legal debate with the City of San Diego, which means the theme park will once again return to court.

Conflict has surged between the two parties since the onset of COVID-19. San Diego claims that SeaWorld owes the city over $12 million in back rent and fees – something it reportedly informed the park of in September 2021.

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Two years later, it sued SeaWorld – which is known for its combination of marine life, such as orcas and dolphins, and thrill rides – after giving the park multiple notices and warnings that it had defaulted on its payments. SeaWorld subsequently filed a countersuit, arguing that San Diego’s forced closure of the park during the pandemic violated the park’s lease, which means it owes the city nothing. It also claims it is entitled to “substantial damages in an amount to be determined” due to the financial impact of these mandatory COVID-19-related closures.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the two parties attempted to settle the case on Wednesday (January 10). However, a filing was later posted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Butcher that stated they had failed to resolve the matter.

The two will now attempt a “mandatory settlement conference” on July 31, 2024. If this fails for a second time, SeaWorld will be taken to trial. This trial reportedly won’t occur until at least 2025, although there may be further attempts to settle the dispute in the meantime.

Butcher noted that both parties “must be prepared to engage in a detailed discussion of the merits of their respective cases and engage in good faith settlement discussions.”

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San Diego insists that it did not make any exceptions for tenants of city-owned land during the pandemic. While it initially agreed to defer rent payments in the pandemic’s first year, this arrangement ended in the middle of 2021 when it instead offered its tenants the option of a 24-month payment plan. SeaWorld declined to take this option.

Inside the Magic contacted SeaWorld San Diego for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.