What PGAV Destinations does

PGAV Destinations is a privately held, multidisciplinary experience design firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with a second studio in Orlando opened in 2022. Founded in the 1960s and structured as a for-profit corporation operating across all 50 U.S. states and five continents, the firm delivers master planning, architectural design, exhibit and attraction design, themed entertainment design, landscape and interior design, media production, construction administration, and related services for destination operators. Its client roster spans major theme park operators (Universal, Walt Disney Imagineering, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Dollywood, Chimelong, PortAventura, Europa-Park), zoos and aquariums (Saint Louis Zoo, Columbus Zoo, Georgia Aquarium), cultural institutions (NASA/Kennedy Space Center, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum), and brand/hospitality destinations (Anheuser-Busch/Budweiser, Biltmore Estate).

The firm positions itself as end-to-end: from concept and master plan through themed environment construction, drawing on an in-house team of artists, sculptors, architects, and designers, and using proprietary visitor research (the Voice of the Visitor annual study) and a thought-leadership platform (Destinology, 40,000+ subscribers) to inform project work. Technology stack centers on conventional architecture, exhibit design, themed entertainment design, landscape design, media production, and construction administration, supported by digital and physical modeling for visualization; there is no disclosed AI, API, or software-product surface.

Revenue is generated on a project-based professional services model, with individual engagements reportedly ranging from below $1 million to over $100 million; the firm does not disclose pricing publicly and operates a direct, sales-led B2B engagement model with principal/VP-level relationship management. Customer concentration is spread across enterprise destination operators across five market verticals (Zoos & Aquariums, Themed Entertainment, Museums/Science/Culture, Hospitality & Resorts, Brand Destinations), with marquee repeat clients including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Chimelong. The firm is independently owned with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external investors, and its global footprint is delivered through the two U.S. studios and project-based international deployments.

Name

PGAV Destinations

Legal name

PGAV Destinations

Website

https://pgavdestinations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

PGAV Destinations is a privately held, St. Louis-based experience design firm founded in the 1960s, providing master planning, architectural, and themed entertainment design to enterprise destination operators including theme parks, zoos, museums, hospitality brands, and government clients across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Experience Design Services

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Traveler Accommodation (7211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Destination Theme Parks (Large-Scale, Multi-Attraction Parks) (THAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Destination Design
• Master Planning
• Themed Entertainment
• Exhibit Design
• Zoo Aquarium Design

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: PGAV generates revenue through fees for master planning, architectural design, exhibit design, interior design, landscape design, themed entertainment design, media production, construction administration, and art direction services. Projects range from below $1 million to over $100 million for single or multiple locations. Revenue is project-based and client-specific.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PGAV Destinations is a global destination design firm that delivers master planning, architectural, exhibit, and brand development services for themed entertainment, zoos, aquariums, museums, hospitality/resorts, and corporate brand destinations. The firm leads integrated design programs from initial market and visitor research through conceptual master planning, schematic design, attraction and exhibit design, theming, interior and landscape design, and brand and storytelling development for new and renovated destination projects.

Product overview

PGAV Destinations is a premier experience design firm offering a comprehensive suite of design services rather than a software product. The core offering centers on master planning and architectural/exhibit design for destinations across five market sectors: Zoos & Aquariums, Themed Entertainment (including theme parks and water parks), Museums & Culture, Hospitality & Resorts, and Brand Destinations. Supporting services include attraction design, interior design, environmental graphics, landscape design, brand development, media production, theming/scenic arts, storytelling, retail/restaurant design, and construction administration. The firm also produces proprietary research through its Voice of the Visitor annual study and publishes industry insights via the Destinology content platform. With 60+ years of experience and 1,000+ projects delivered, the company operates studios in St. Louis and Orlando serving clients globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Destinology: Research and insights publication that leverages research, guest insights, and expertise to explore the impact of empathy and design in the attractions industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200M+ visitors experience PGAV-designed destinations annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Boston Productions Inc. (BPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGAV partnered with Boston Productions Inc. as lead media producer for the Schifferdecker and Zelleken Historic Homes project in Joplin, Missouri. BPI developed the full suite of story-driven audio and visual content, while PGAV provided immersive experience design and project leadership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Forrec: Forrec is a Toronto-based planning and design firm specializing in theme parks, water parks, resorts, and entertainment destinations globally. It directly competes with PGAV on master planning and themed entertainment design for major operators worldwide.
• Thinkwell Group: Thinkwell is a Los Angeles-based experience design and production firm serving theme parks, museums, brand experiences, and cultural attractions. It competes directly with PGAV across theme park master planning, museum exhibit design, and brand destination work.
• The Hettema Group: The Hettema Group is a Calabasas-based design and production studio specializing in themed entertainment, immersive experiences, and master planning. It directly competes with PGAV for high-profile theme park and attraction design engagements.
• JRA (Jack Rouse Associates): JRA is a Cincinnati-based experience design firm focused on museums, zoos, aquariums, and themed entertainment. It directly competes with PGAV on zoo/aquarium design and museum exhibit master planning engagements.
• Wētā Workshop: Wētā Workshop is a New Zealand-based design and effects company with a growing themed entertainment division designing theme parks, museums, and immersive attractions. It competes with PGAV on flagship themed entertainment projects globally.
• BRC Imagination Arts: BRC Imagination Arts is a global experience design and production firm specializing in museums, visitor centers, brand experiences, and themed attractions. It competes with PGAV on cultural institution and brand destination projects.
• Legacy Entertainment: Legacy Entertainment is a global entertainment design and master planning firm focused on theme parks, water parks, and integrated resorts. It competes with PGAV for international mega-projects, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Stantec is a large global engineering, architecture, and design firm with a dedicated entertainment practice. It competes with PGAV on large-scale theme park, resort, and cultural attraction master planning as a broader incumbent.
• HKS: HKS is a major global architecture firm with an entertainment and hospitality practice serving resorts, casinos, and destination projects. It overlaps with PGAV on hospitality/resort design as a much larger diversified incumbent.

Emerging players

• Hetzel Design: Hetzel Design is an experience design firm specializing in themed entertainment, museums, and cultural attractions. It is an emerging competitor to PGAV in the U.S. experience design market with growing credentials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pgavdestination
• Facebookfacebook.com/pgavdestinations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/93456
• Instagraminstagram.com/pgavdestinations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PGAV Destinations