Some of South Florida’s largest developers are in discussions to redevelop the Miami Seaquarium property, a 38-acre waterfront site owned by Miami-Dade County on Virginia Key. According to the Miami Herald, Integra Investments, led by Paulo Tavares de Melo, has submitted a detailed presentation outlining its vision for the site. David Martin of Terra is also involved in talks and has signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding the process. A spokesperson for Martin declined to comment, and it remains unclear if Terra has made a formal proposal.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado confirmed that there is ongoing interest from county leaders in establishing a marina at the location. “A marina has always been a discussed use there,” Regalado told the outlet. She added, “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 Seaquarium opened in 1955 and is one of the oldest oceanariums in the United States. It was also known as the filming location for the 1960s television show Flipper.
The Dolphin Company, based in Mexico and led by CEO Eduardo Albor, holds a ground lease with Miami-Dade County for the property at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway. Last year, Miami-Dade filed an eviction lawsuit against Dolphin Company, alleging failure to maintain proper conditions at Miami Seaquarium and violations of federal animal welfare laws including substandard care under both the Marine Mammal Act and Animal Welfare Act. In 2023, Tokitae (also known as Lolita), an orca housed at Seaquarium for decades amid calls from activists for her retirement to sanctuary care, died from renal failure.
Seaquarium representatives have denied these allegations according to reports from The Miami Herald. Meanwhile, Dolphin Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March as part of its restructuring efforts.
Reports indicate that internal conflict within Dolphin Company escalated earlier this year when CEO Eduardo Albor and about twenty armed men took control of its Cancun headquarters—a situation covered by Bloomberg—and later resulted in sanctions imposed by a U.S. bankruptcy judge who fined Albor $10,000 per day after he defied court orders (WLRN).
Any redevelopment plans will require approval from the county commission due to public ownership of the land. Land use restrictions present additional challenges; because it is part of Miami-Dade’s parks system, residential developments such as condos or apartments are unlikely options.
As negotiations continue among developers and stakeholders while Dolphin restructures operations through bankruptcy proceedings, decisions regarding future uses for this prominent Biscayne Bay site remain pending.
