SAN DIEGO.- Yesterday, SeaWorld announced its Executive Director´s, Jim Atchison resignation, after being in the chairmans chair since 2009.

His resignation notice comes at a moment of crisis, with a 33% fall in their stocks and a low percentage of visitors. All of this, after the controversial documentary Blackfish was released, raising its voice on behalf of animal right activists.

Atchison will let go of his position on January, however, he won't retire completely. As a "severance package" he will get about f 2.4 million dollars, and he will later rejoin as Vicepresident of the Board of Directors and as consultant of materials for international expansion.

His dismissal is just one of the changes foreseen in a restructuring plan, but, what type of measure will be implemented? One of the most alarming ones consists in a staff reduction, that will leave hundreds and maybe thousands of unemployed workers. This, with the purpose of saving up 50 million dollars in pay rolls next year.

The number of employees that are being let go is still unknown, even though everyone will be "well-paid" supposedly, as the company revealed when they made their announcement. There eleven parks controlled by the company around the United States, with an estimate of 25,800 employees, of which between 2,000 to 4,000 work in San Diego.

For the moment, the company president, David F. D´Alessandro, will act as temporary CEO until they find a man capable of carrying the SeaWorld name.

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elizabeth.rosales@sandiegored.com

zyanya.figueroa@sandiegored.com