Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is handing the keys to the coaster kingdom to Jon Vigue, a seasoned theme park operator brought in as the property heads into a fresh wave of spending and new attractions. Vigue arrives from Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia, where he ran day-to-day operations and helped broaden what guests could do, see and eat in the park. His hire lands just as Busch Gardens pushes ahead with a roughly $100 million renovation and expansion and works through a series of leadership changes at the resort.
New president announced
The move was first reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, which notes that Vigue will take over leadership of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The outlet points out that his arrival lines up with the park's long-running, multi-million-dollar investment plan, signaling that the company wants a steady hand on the controls as new projects come online.
From Wild Adventures
Vigue most recently served as vice president and general manager at Wild Adventures, a smaller zoo-and-ride park in Valdosta. There, he oversaw operations, seasonal events and animal-focused guest experiences while trying to squeeze more value out of every visit. According to local outlet Valdosta CEO, he also helped roll out new guest offerings that included expanded food-and-beverage options and on-site overnight accommodations adjacent to the park.
Leadership shuffle and park projects
Vigue steps into the role previously held by Brian Bacica, who exited Busch Gardens in late 2025 to become park president at LEGOLAND Florida Resort, as reported by Theme Park Insider. At the same time, Busch Gardens has been busy reshaping its line-up. A recent PR Newswire announcement for the new Wild Oasis realm underscores how the park has leaned into family-focused additions over the last few seasons. That push, along with the broader investment plan, sets the stage for the challenge Vigue inherits as he settles into the job.
What to watch
Vigue is no stranger to the industry’s inner circle. He has participated in IAAPA programming and panels, a detail highlighted by Blooloop, which observers say could help him tap partnerships and outside expertise for Busch Gardens' next phase. Inside the park, employees and season-pass holders will be watching closely to see how he approaches staffing, events and food-and-beverage programming as Tampa's signature thrill park heads into its next chapter.
