Under a proposed deal revealed Friday, the Miami Seaquarium would be largely demolished by Miami developer David Martin, who wants to build a marina, restaurants, event space and a saltwater aquarium on the county-owned land that’s been home to the marine-mammal theme park since the 1950s.
Instead of dolphin shows and a sea-lion theater, the land would become home to dry-dock boat storage and marina slips; a “Fisherman’s Village” of restaurants, bars and shops; and a conservation center and public baywalk. The Seaquarium has an aquarium already, and it’s not clear if that will remain or if Martin plans to build a new one. In a statement, Martin’s Terra development firm and the owner of the Seaquarium business, the Dolphin Company, said the aquarium will be accredited but will not have marine mammals.
Martin’s plans were revealed in a filing in federal bankruptcy court on Friday as the Seaquarium owner’s pick to purchase the lease the theme park has with Miami-Dade County. The deal means the Seaquarium could shut down within weeks, with the Dolphin Company saying the agreement calls for the theme park to close sometime in 2025.
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