MIAMI.- Miami-Dade County sent a lease termination notice to The Dolphin company, parent company of the Miami Seaquarium, alleging the poor conditions of the animals and the history of violations committed by the tenant company.
According to the document, dated March 7, 2024, addressed to Eduardo Albor, CEO of The Dolphin Company, the tenant’s long and disturbing history of violations regarding its obligations to keep the property in good condition and the animals in accordance with the law are the cause of the decision.
“As a consequence of these violations and failures to comply with the tenant’s obligations, this letter serves to notify Miami-Dade County’s decision to terminate the lease,” the document said.
According to the termination notice, The Dolphin Company must vacate and surrender the property by April 21, 2024.
The letter states that the County sent two notices, on November 28, 2022, and December 22, 2023, indicating non-compliance with the lease regarding the care of the animals and in violation of federal law.
According to the letter, in the past two years, the tenant was cited seven times by the USDA for inadequate veterinary care and mismanagement of the facility. The lack of maintenance in the structures, unsafe structures and lack of hygiene were also listed.
“Seaquarium has not submitted evidence of certification to the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) or the American Humane Association,” nor has it submitted to the County its annual report on the implementation of conservation and education programs, or campaigns. of community awareness, required by the agreement.
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava will hold a press conference this Thursday at 2.30 pm to share more details of the decision made.
Last August, Miami Seaquarium made headlines when the death of the iconic Lolita, a 57-year-old orca whale, who had lived at the facility since 1970, was announced.
Miami Seaquarium, founded in 1955, and located on Virginia Key, is one of the oldest oceanariums in the US.
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