Amusement park giant buys Globetrotters

PHOENIX (AP) - Georgia-based Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. has acquired Harlem Globetrotters International Inc. from Shamrock Capital Advisors.

Terms of the deal were not revealed.

Herschend, based in Norcross, Ga., is a family-owned company that owns and operates 26 theme parks, aquariums and other attractions nationwide. Among its operations is a partnership with country singing star Dolly Parton for Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country in Tennessee. It also is an operating partner of Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, and owner of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo.

Founded by the Herschend family 50 years ago, the company also owns Newport Aquariums in New Jersey and Kentucky and Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga.

The Phoenix-based Globetrotters have provided basketball hilarity to audiences since 1926, performing 25,000 "games" around the globe. Currently, the Globetrotters display their antics in about 400 games per year.

Shamrock Capital Advisors, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, purchased the Globetrotters in 2005 and reportedly had been shopping the team in recent months.