Miami-Dade issues 2nd Notice of Default to Miami Seaquarium due to late rent payments

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County sent another Notice of Default to Miami Seaquarium on Friday, this time over late payments and infrastructure violations.

According to the notice, the Seaquarium allegedly owes the county more than $87,000 in past-due rent.

Officials say Miami Seaquarium has 45 days to remedy or the county can terminate their current lease.

“In the event of non-compliance, the County retains the right to exercise all available remedies pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Amended and Reinstated Lease Agreement and will take all necessary steps to seek termination of same,” Miami-Dade County officials stated in a letter to the Seaquarium on Friday.

Other issues include ongoing animal welfare and facility and infrastructure violations.

Local 10 News first reported last week that Miami-Dade County issued the Dolphin Company a Notice of Default after USDA inspectors in November found that the Miami Seaquarium “still lacks a sufficient number of adequately trained employees.”

The USDA-focused inspection that was conducted on Nov. 2 states that “the resignation of the only veterinary technician has left two veterinarians responsible for the care of 46 marine mammals, hundreds of birds, fish, sharks, and rays housed at the facility.”

“At the time of inspection, none of the open veterinary technician positions had been filled. The veterinarians are still unable to perform routine/preventive exams and continue to prioritize sick and urgent cases until additional staff can be hired. Insufficient staffing can lead to poor husbandry practices and hinder the veterinary staff’s ability to provide routine care and maintenance for the animals,” the inspection letter stated in part.

In an email, a Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces spokesperson told Local 10 News, “The county will be treating the USDA’s Nov. 2. focused inspection report as a separate finding and will be issuing a new Notice of Default to the Dolphin Company.”

When it comes to the initial notice of being in violation of its lease agreement, a county spokesperson says the Miami Seaquarium responded “on Dec. 5, wherein the Seaquarium contested the USDA’s findings.

In early November, Miami-Dade County gave the Seaquarium 45 days to remedy the violations. It’s not yet clear what would happen if the Seaquarium fails to do so.

Read the County’s Notice of Non-Compliance involving late payments from the Seaquarium here:

Read the county’s list of Miami Seaquarium’s infrastructure violations here: