ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cedar Fair Entertainment, one of the nation’s biggest amusement park operators, has rejected an offer to be taken over by SeaWorld Entertainment, the Florida-based company said.
Cedar Fair owns and operates Carowinds near Charlotte and 14 other amusement parks and water parks across the country.
SeaWorld confirmed Tuesday that its offer to acquire Cedar Fair was rejected.
“Unfortunately, we do not see a path to a transaction,” a SeaWorld statement said.
Cedar Fair, based in Sandusky, Ohio, said earlier this month that it was reviewing an unsolicited bid. Details of the offer were not released.
SeaWorld, based in Orlando, operates a dozen SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sesame Place parks, primarily in the southern U.S.
In addition to Carowinds, Cedar Fair's amusement and water parks include Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio, Knott’s Berry Farm near Los Angeles and Canada’s Wonderland outside Toronto. It also has several hotels and campgrounds at its parks.