Judge rules Miami Seaquarium won't face immediate eviction despite rent disputes
MIAMI - In a new development in the ongoing legal battle over the Miami Seaquarium, a Miami-Dade County judge ruled Wednesday that the attraction will not face immediate eviction from its Virginia Key location, despite arguments over unpaid rent.
The dispute centers on missed payments that Miami-Dade County cited as grounds to evict the Seaquarium. However, the court sided against the county, allowing the Seaquarium to remain operational for the time being.
During Wednesday's hearing, Jeffrey Roth, an attorney for the Miami Seaquarium, attributed one of the late rent payments to a bank holiday in Mexico.
"You should know Monday, September 16th was a bank holiday in Mexico. That was the major reason for the fund hitting my trust account. I know that sounds like the dog ate my homework," Roth said.
Miami-Dade County's legal team, however, dismissed the explanation, arguing that the late payment was still a violation.
"In that footnote, they admit, we know when it was due. We know the amount that was due. And we paid it late. Whether it's 12 hours or the next day. Late is late," said Melanie Spencer, the county's attorney.
The Seaquarium's legal team also pointed fingers at the county, accusing officials of obstructing the company's operations.
"The county has somewhat sabotaged MS Leisure from performing its duties for the Miami Seaquarium. Too many things they have done. They have refused to issue us any permits whatsoever so we can actually fix the buildings that we need to fix," said Hilton Napoleon II, another attorney for the Seaquarium.
Amid the legal back-and-forth, Seaquarium Executive Director Edwin Gonzalez defended the facility's operations. "We've had two consecutive USDA audits. Perfect audits. Which means nothing was wrong. The USDA just sent us the renewal of our license," Gonzalez said, adding that the park has reduced its operating days and is currently open only from Wednesday to Sunday.
The legal teams are scheduled to meet again for mediation on October 21st.
The future of the Seaquarium remains uncertain as both sides continue to negotiate over the unresolved financial issues.