Ripley Entertainment Inc. of Canada seemed the sure winner of the aquarium, until an 11th hour bidding war between Ripley and Houston-based Landry's Restaurant in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
It ended with Landry's, the nation's second largest casual-restaurant operator, paying $13.6 million for the aquarium in the Central Platte Valley - 200% more than the initial $4.5 million bid by Ripley. The bidding increased in $100,000 increments until Landry's won.
Landry's plans to add a seafood restaurant and some amusement rides to the aquarium. It plans to invest about $15 million for improvements.
Landry's, which recently opened the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, operates restaurants such as Joe's Crab Shack, Willie G's Seafood & Steak House, Landry's Seafood House, the Chart House, and Rainforest Café.
It had $895 million in revenues and $41.5 million in revenues last year.
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