Some of South Florida’s major developers are engaged in confidential discussions about redeveloping the Miami Seaquarium site, a 38-acre waterfront property on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay. The land is owned by Miami-Dade County, and details about redevelopment proposals remain limited.
Integra Investments, led by Paulo Tavares de Melo, has presented a 28-page vision for the site. David Martin of Terra is also involved in the talks and has signed a non-disclosure agreement. It remains unclear whether Martin or Terra have submitted formal proposals for the project.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who represents the district where the Seaquarium is located and participates in lease negotiations with its parent company, discussed potential uses for the site. “A marina has always been a discussed use there,” Regalado said. “On the county’s side, there has always been a desire to expand marinas and to expand dry-dock storage. That’s a big need for the county.”
The future of the Miami Seaquarium, which opened in 1955 and is one of the oldest oceanariums in the country, is uncertain. The theme park gained national attention as a filming location for the 1960s show “Flipper.” The property at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway is leased from the county by Dolphin Company, based in Mexico.
Last year, Miami-Dade County filed an eviction lawsuit against Miami Seaquarium, alleging that Dolphin failed to maintain proper conditions at the facility and violated federal animal welfare laws. In 2023, Tokitae (also known as Lolita), an orca held at Seaquarium for decades, died of renal failure after long-running efforts by activists seeking her retirement.
Seaquarium representatives dispute these allegations. Meanwhile, Dolphin Company CEO Eduardo Albor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March as part of an ongoing restructuring effort. According to media reports, Albor was involved in an incident at Dolphin’s Cancun headquarters involving armed individuals taking control of operations. Additionally, a U.S. bankruptcy judge sanctioned Albor $10,000 per day after he failed to comply with court orders.
Any potential redevelopment deal would require approval from Miami-Dade’s county commission because of public ownership of the land. Land use restrictions tied to its status as part of the county parks system could limit options such as residential development on the site.
