Miami Seaquarium’s $100M waterfront village transformation

Miami’s historic Seaquarium site is officially entering a new era, as a wave of redevelopment momentum turns one of Virginia Key’s most recognizable properties into a waterfront destination built around public access, dining, and modern marine education.

After the Seaquarium closed in late 2025—ending a 70-year chapter marked by aging infrastructure, regulatory pressure, and years of scrutiny over animal welfare—the county-owned property is now moving through a major transformation led by Terra Group and developer David Martin. Recent approvals from a federal bankruptcy court and a key Miami-Dade committee have advanced the proposal to the full County Commission, clearing one of the most significant hurdles yet.

The vision for the 38-acre site is centered around a $100 million redevelopment that replaces the former marine park with a marina, an expansive baywalk, and what renderings call a “Fisherman’s Village”—a cluster of restaurants, retail, and public-facing amenities designed to open the shoreline in a way the property never previously allowed. Plans also include a new accredited aquarium focused on education and conservation rather than the animal performances that once defined the Seaquarium. Under the proposed model, no dolphins, orcas, or large marine mammals would be part of entertainment programs, marking a major shift after decades of controversy following cases like the orca Lolita.

Across multiple submissions and public statements, Terra outlines a redevelopment strategy that preserves the site’s historic structures—such as the Buckminster Fuller dome—while reimagining the property around resiliency, coastal access, and long-term environmental stewardship. Because the land sits within Miami-Dade’s parks system, any new concept must align with public use, sustainability requirements, and shoreline-protection standards, limiting opportunities for private residential or hotel development and prioritizing community-serving uses instead.

If approved by the full County Commission, the project would move into detailed design and permitting, with an early target opening around 2030. The scale of the redevelopment positions it as one of the county’s most closely watched waterfront revitalizations, with significant economic projections tied to job creation, tourism, and long-term site activation. Community groups and environmental advocates are also tracking the proposal closely—particularly the handling of future animal interactions, resiliency plans, and Biscayne Bay protections.

For Miami residents and visitors, the transformation signals the end of one of the region’s most storied attractions and the beginning of a new public waterfront hub. What emerges on Virginia Key will play a major role in shaping how the city reimagines its coastline, balancing recreation, conservation, and cultural programming on some of the most valuable waterfront land in South Florida.