Miami Seaquarium Gets Eviction Notice Months After Lolita The Orca's Death

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Seaquarium, an old-Florida style tourist attraction that was home to Lolita, the beloved Orca that died last year, is being evicted from the waterfront property it leases from Miami-Dade County.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava cited a “long and troubling history of violations” in a lease termination notice sent Thursday to the chief executive officer of The Dolphin Company, which owns the Seaquarium. The company was told to vacate the property by April 21, according to the letter from the mayor’s office.

“They have been the subject of continuous violations, including decaying animal habitats, lack of veterinary staff and a lack of other experienced staff,” Levine Cava said during a news conference Thursday.

“Our number one priority continues to be the safety and wellbeing of the animals,” the mayor said.

Seaquarium officials sent a letter last month to Levine Cava, inviting her to visit the park so she could witness the animals’ wellbeing for herself. The county had advised the park in January that they were looking to terminate the park’s lease following a review from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates the treatment and care of captive animals.

Eduardo Albor, CEO of The Dolphin Company, showed up at the news conference and told reporters he doesn’t understand why the mayor has refused invitations to the Seaquarium.

“How can she say that she’s concerned about the animals when she has never come to the Miami Seaquarium in two years?” he asked.

Levine Cava said during the news conference that representatives of the county’s parks department have made regular visits to the park over the past year and a half.

“The current state of the Miami Seaquarium is unsustainable and