The largest shareholder in SeaWorld, the Blackstone Group, sells its 21 percent stake to a Chinese company.

Blackstone Group, largest shareholder, sells its 21 percent

Investment firm Blackstone Group has sold its 21 percent stake in SeaWorld to a Chinese company.

The deal with Zhonghong Group gives SeaWorld a path into the growing Chinese tourism market and a partner with experience in themepark development there.

Zhonghong Group will buy the stock at $23 per share, Orlando-based SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. announced Friday. The stock had closed at $17.31 Thursday and rose before Friday’s opening bell to $19.69. Zhonghong is paying a 33 percent premium on Thursday’s closing price. SeaWorld also agreed to a deal with its new, largest shareholder for licensing and consulting deals for themepark development in China. Two Zhonghong executives will join SeaWorld’s board.

“SeaWorld’s future is brighter than it was two days ago,” said Dennis Speigel, president of the International Theme Park Services trade group. “You already have Disney in China as well as Universal; now you have SeaWorld.”

The world’s most populous country and second-largest economy has been a popular target for theme-park companies in recent years. Disneyland Shanghai opened in June and Universal is working on a park near Beijing in partnership with several state-owned companies. There are more than 100 theme-park projects in the works in China from both Chinese and foreign investors, Spiegel said.

It’s unclear whether killer whales and other marine mammals could be a part of an expansion into China. China has 39 marine mammal parks, including massive attractions such as the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom near Hong Kong, according to a Washington Post report. Speigel said animal welfare isn’t a mainstream issue yet with Chinese consumers.

“The baggage that comes with the PETA and the animal activists really hasn’t really rooted in China,” he said.