SeaWorld Appears to Settle Suit Over Park President’s Defection

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. has reached an apparent settlement in Delaware Chancery Court of claims that the former president of its San Antonio park breached a noncompete when he jumped ship last year for the company that runs Dollywood and other theme parks.

SeaWorld dropped its lawsuit against Carleton Lum, who became the chief operating officer at Herschend Family Entertainment Inc. for about six months after defecting. The joint dismissal stipulation didn’t explicitly disclose a settlement, but it was with prejudice.

Those circumstances strongly suggest an agreement of some kind rather than unprompted surrender by SeaWorld. Attorneys for both sides didn’t ...