Visitor attractions operator Ripley Entertainment has acquired two of its Believe It or Not! odditoriums, which were previously being operated on franchise deals.

The two sites are located in Orlando, Florida, and Branson, Missouri.

Jim Pattison Jr, president of Ripley Entertainment, said: "We are pleased that we were able to acquire these successful franchised attractions and look forward to incorporating them into our corporate-owned lineup.

"We like both the Branson and the Orlando markets very much and feel there are great opportunities in both to grow and expand our Ripley's brand."

Both sites have been built in Ripley's patented "disaster architecture" style with the Orlando building appearing to be sliding into a sink hole while the Branson building appears to being broken apart by the colossal earthquake of 1812 that rocked the area.

Pattison added that acquiring the Orlando site had been "especially gratifying", because it gives the company an opportunity to build a strong flagship attraction only a few miles from corporate headquarters.

he said: "This gives us the chance to create an ever-changing exhibition of our newest acquisitions while having the incredible ability to test our new concepts, including our cutting edge ideas in interactive exhibitry."

Gary Daily, who has been with both locations for more than 10 years, will continue to oversee operations at both locations.