MIAMI – A day after the lawsuit filed by Miami-Dade against Miami Seaquarium to force them to vacate the aquarium grounds in Virginia Key, the lawyer representing the park’s operating company said they are determined to fight against the county’s frivolous request that is causing a decrease in ticket sales.
Attorney Hilton Napoleon, who represents MS Leisure Company, a subsidiary of The Dolphin Company, operator of the marine park, called the county’s accusations misleading and indicated that the company had corrected any USDA noncompliance at the facility before acquiring it. in 2022.
According to the lawyer, the company tests the water in the habitat of the various animals daily, cleans their pools at least twice a week and serves them quality food.
“It is completely false to suggest that at Miami Seaquarium we do not fulfill our duties. A hospital patient does not receive medical attention 24 hours a day like these animals,” she compared.
Napoleon said that since taking over the park, the company had invested millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements.
Regarding the deaths that occurred at Miami Seaquarium, Edwin González, executive director of Dolphin Company US Parks, indicated that “these animals die of natural causes. The sea lion had an abdominal problem and died. It happens to animals like it happens to human beings.” And he claimed that because of the county’s actions, the park has seen a 40% decrease in sales.
In this context, Napoleon hinted that the company’s next action would probably be to file an appeal in federal court.
The county’s lawsuit comes after several negative reports from the US Department of Agriculture about the living conditions of animals at the facilities.
Last April, The Dolphin Company refused to vacate and surrender the property as requested by Miami-Dade and filed a $35 million lawsuit against the County for unilaterally terminating the lease.
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