Theme park operator Busch Entertainment has changed its name to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

The move follows Blackstone Capital's US$2.7bn (£1.62bn, 1.8bn euro) purchase of the company, the closing of the sale having been announced jointly on 1 December by Anheuser-Busch InBev and The Blackstone Group.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates 10 parks across the US, including SeaWorlds in Orlando, Fla., San Diego, Ca., and San Antonio, Tx.; Busch Gardens parks in Tampa, Fla. and Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando; Sesame Place near Philadelphia, Pa.; and water parks Adventure Island in Tampa and Water Country USA in Williamsburg.

The new name is designed to reflect the prominence of the SeaWorld brand in both the family travel industry and among the company's portfolio of parks.

Meanwhile, the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay park has unveiled four new behind-the-scenes tours for 2010 in a bid to allow visitors to learn more about a range of attractions at the park.

New experiences include the Rollercoaster Insider, a 45-minute tour offering an insight into the construction and maintenance of the park's rides, and the KaTonga Insider - a 45-minute tour behind the scenes of the KaTonga show.

The Tiger and Orang-utan Keeper Experience provides guests with a chance to help zookeepers prepare food for the animals and perform routine health exams, as well as taking part in orang-utan training sessions and giving park visitors to test their strength against tigers.

Jungala Insider, the fourth new tour, offers a behind-the-scenes view of how the attraction was designed for the benefit of both guests and animals, while also having the opportunity to meet the keepers and learn how Busch Gardens' Bengal tiger and Bornean orang-utans are cared for.