Bankruptcy Sale Announced for Florida Dolphinariums

After months of speculation, a bankruptcy sale of three dolphin aquariums, and their associated real estate has been announced.

Keen-Summit Capital Partners LLC has been retained to market three dolphin aquarium properties in Florida. According to the company’s website, Miami Seaquarium in Miami, Marineland Dolphin Adventure in St. Augustine, and Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach are all listed for sale. As the first two properties are “open and operating,” the Debtor will consider offers for the going-concern and/or real estate, meaning, this could also include a transfer of business.

All three facilities are owned by The Dolphin Company, who, on March 31 of this year, announced that it had voluntarily filed Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The stated purpose was to restructure its business and address financial challenges. The company currently owns 31 parks and dolphin habitats across eight countries.

Background

Miami Seaquarium – After numerous and significant violations at the aquarium, on March 7, the office of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava sent a “Notice of Termination of Lease” letter to Eduardo Albor, the president of The Dolphin Company. However, at the time of this writing, the facility is still operating.

Gulf World Marine Park – Following public outcry of the deaths of five dolphins in under eight months, the facility announced the transfer of their remaining dolphins to Marineland Dolphin Adventure, and to Clearwater Aquarium. The park is now permanently closed.

Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project protests at the Miami Seaquarium, in Miami, Florida. As of 2025, at least 120 dolphins have died at the facility. Credit: DolphinProject.com

For decades, Dolphin Project has vigorously campaigned against the facility’s use of captive dolphins, including obtaining over 27,000 signatures asking the County to terminate the lease with Miami Seaquarium.

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Sources used in this blog:

Keen-Summit Capital Partners LLC

Featured image: Miami Seaquarium front entrance, credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, author: Pietro