In 2009, AB InBev, formed from the purchase of Anheuser-Busch by InBev, sold the amusement parks to the Blackstone Group. Blackstone has kept some of the popular traditions including a stable with Clydesdales; however, the Clydesdales are not affiliated with the beer company.

The Busch family officially ended their direct ownership of the Busch Gardens theme parks in 2009. This occurred as part of a much larger corporate transaction following the 2008 acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by the Belgian-Brazilian brewing giant InBev, creating Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev). Because AB InBev's primary focus was the global beer market and debt reduction, they decided to divest the "non-core" entertainment division, known as Busch Entertainment Corporation. In October 2009, the parks—including Busch Gardens Tampa, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and SeaWorld—were sold to the private equity firm The Blackstone Group for approximately $2.7 billion. Under Blackstone's ownership, the company was renamed SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and eventually became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2013. While the "Busch" name remains on the gates for branding and historical purposes, and the parks still feature the iconic Clydesdales in some locations, the Busch family has not had operational control or ownership of the theme park empire for over 16 years.