SeaWorld Layoffs: 100 Workers Let Go, CEO Resigns

On the same day that SeaWorld Entertainment’s (SEAS) CEO resigned, the company has laid off a reported 100 employees at an Orlando call center effective immediately.

SeaWorld made the announcement that Gus Antorhca resigned from the position of CEO and member of the board of directors on Monday. Antorhca led the company for seven months and will help with the executive transition following his resignation.

"While I may have a difference of approach, I continue to believe in SeaWorld's strategy, mission, team and prospects,” Antorcha said in a statement.

Chief Financial Officer Marc Swanson, has been appointed to interim CEO with the company, following Antorhca’s departure. Elizabeth Castro Gulacsy been appointed to interim chief financial officer and will continue to serve in her current role as chief accounting officer.

Swanson has been with SeaWorld for 19 years while Gulacsy has been with the company for seven years. The SeaWorld board of directors is searching for a new executive to fill Antorcha’s role.

The layoffs at the company affect SeaWorld’s call center operations, which is being outsourced to a third-party vendor, Spectrum News reported. According to the news outlet, laid-off employees will be provided with severance benefits and outplacement assistance.

"SeaWorld undertook a careful review of our operations and made a business decision to restructure our call center operations," a company spokesperson said told Spectrum News in an email. "This move will allow us to better and more efficiently scale our call center to meet customer demand, especially during peak months.

"We don't anticipate any interruption in park guest services and guests can continue to expect the same world-class customer service from SeaWorld,” the spokesperson added.

This is the second round of layoffs for SeaWorld this year. The company laid off an undisclosed number of employees in April. The layoffs were reportedly made across the company to improve “performance and efficiency,” the news outlet reported.

Shares of SeaWorld stock were down 2.76 percent as of 12:10 p.m.