It’s the end of an era — and the start of a new chapter for Miami Seaquarium | Opinion
My earliest memories of Miami are tied to the places that shaped generations of families. In 1977, I was in the nosebleed section of the Orange Bowl with my mother watching the Miami Dolphins play.
Not long after, I was at the Miami Seaquarium with my parents, wide-eyed, as Lolita and Hugo, the famous orcas, performed. Like so many native Miamians, I grew up visiting the Miami Seaquarium and later took friends and family there myself.
Decades later, I brought my own children. My son attended summer camp there year after year. Every time I stepped inside, the same wave of nostalgia came rushing back.
The facilities were old, yes, but the history was alive. Like all childhood landmarks, the Seaquarium seemed to have shrunk — though, of course, I was the one who had grown taller.
When I became a Miami-Dade County commissioner in 2020, I inherited the responsibility of dealing with this 65-year-old facility. At first, there was hope. We amended the 1950s lease to hold the operators accountable for animal welfare. Promises were made to care for the animals and invest in the site.
Sadly, those promises were broken. Marine mammals died, and the county had no choice but to pursue eviction. The operator’s lender declared bankruptcy, and suddenly the lease became a matter for the bankruptcy court.
I asked my colleagues to let me represent the Board of County Commissioners in this process, and I am grateful for their unanimous support.
For months, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and I have worked with the trustee, county staff and attorneys to find a path forward. Through it all, the focus has been twofold: the welfare of the animals and the future of this treasured piece of Miami’s history.
That is why we must now close the chapter on keeping marine mammals at the Seaquarium. Some residents were surprised, others relieved.
One asked me, “But if you don’t have marine mammals there, where will children see them?” My answer is simple: in the ocean where they belong, and in educational programming and materials that don’t require their captivity.
Just as circuses no longer rely on elephants, Miami can remember and honor the Seaquarium without repeating the mistakes of the past. It is time to reimagine this space as a family-friendly attraction that respects our history and our unique environment, educates and celebrates marine life, and embraces our shared values.
Once the bankruptcy court selects a successor, the mayor and I will bring an item to the Board of County Commissioners that will allocate the rental payments to the Miami-Dade Parks Department, specifically for the much-needed maintenance of existing county parks.
We hope to once again have the support of the commission, our stakeholders and our residents as together we start this new chapter for the Miami Seaquarium.
Raquel Regalado is a Miami-Dade County commissioner representing District 7.
