SeaWorld CEO resigns as visitor levels drop in wake of film claiming killer whale mistreatment

The CEO of SeaWorld has resigned as the theme park continues to struggle to attract visitors in the wake of a film criticising its treatment of killer whales.

Jim Atchison, who will step down in January, will be replaced by the company’s chairman David D'Alessandro until a permanent replacement is found.

SeaWorld, which has 11 parks in the US, has struggled with weak earnings due to a decline in park attendance.

It has also been haunted by the Blackfish documentary, which aired on CNN in 2013. The documentary examined SeaWorld's treatment of its killer whales and the conditions in which they are kept.

In its most recent earnings report, SeaWorld said its attendance had dropped to 8.4 million visitors in the third-quarter of 2014, from 8.9 million in the same period a year earlier.

It said: "The Company believes the decline results from a combination of factors including negative media attention in California along with a challenging competitive environment, particularly in Florida."

SeaWorld has implemented company-wide cost savings plan aimed at trimming $50 million from the annual budget.

Atchison will become SeaWorld’s vice chairman and continue to consult on its international expansion following his resignation.