As expected, SeaWorld San Diego is dropping its legal challenge over the state of California’s breeding ban of killer whales.
Since it first issued the legal challenge, SeaWorld has announced it will end the breeding of orcas at all of its marine parks.
Last October the California Coastal Commission approved a $100 million plan by the San Diego park to double the volume of its orca tanks but only if it ended all orca breeding.
At the time SeaWorld executives said the Commission had overreached its authority.
Now after its game-changing announcement, SeaWorld is ditching the lawsuit and is withdrawing its application for the ‘Blue World’ tank expansion.
"Closing the Blue World application file at this time means SeaWorld’s legal challenge to the proposed project conditions no longer is warranted. SeaWorld’s counsel soon will contact Coastal Commission counsel to discuss dismissal of the pending litigation," the company wrote in a letter to the California Coastal Commission.
