Terra Unveils Seaquarium Plan as County Defers 99-Year Lease
Terra released its Living Bayfront plan for the Seaquarium site, and a county committee voted 3-1 to defer the 99-year lease over public review time.
- Source Briefing
- Public record
- Also reported by Florida YIMBY
Terra published its full “Living Bayfront at Miami Seaquarium” plan on Nov. 11, one day after a county committee voted 3-1 to defer the proposed 99-year lease, Florida YIMBY reported. Committee members cited the time available for public review.
Why it matters
The deferral is the new fact. Miami-Dade commissioners unanimously approved a land use amendment on first reading Oct. 20, but the lease, zoning and other approvals remain open. Florida YIMBY reports environmental advocates are raising concerns about seagrass, marine habitat and water quality, mainly from the marina.
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The county record shows how the deal was structured. The lease went to commissioners on the Dec. 2, 2025 agenda as an assignment from MS Leisure Company to Resilient Aquarium LLC, with the mayor directed to negotiate an amended and restated lease. That negotiation is the document now being deferred.
The numbers
Per Florida YIMBY and Terra, the plan for 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway includes:
- A three-story aquarium of about 83,000 square feet, with no marine mammals.
- A University of Miami research center of about 118,000 square feet.
- 295 wet slips and dry storage for 552 vessels, using an existing dredged basin with no added dredging, according to Terra.
- A free three-quarter-mile public baywalk, plus restoration of the Golden Dome and Flipper House.
The outlet did not state a dollar figure for the project, land or lease, so we do not report one. Separately, our earlier coverage reported that two residents sued Oct. 21 seeking a countywide referendum under the county charter’s parkland provisions.
What’s next
Final approval still requires land use changes, zoning, the lease and other government and regulatory approvals. No new committee date was reported. Terra says it developed the proposal over the past year with community groups and environmental specialists and plans a Science Advisory Council with the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School.
For more regional coverage, see South Florida.
Quick answers
- Did Terra unveil Seaquarium Plan in South Florida?
- Terra released its Living Bayfront plan for the Seaquarium site, and a county committee voted 3-1 to defer the 99-year lease over public review time.
- What are the key numbers for Terra?
- committee vote to defer lease: 3-1; proposed lease term: 99 years; wet slips in plan: 295; dry-storage vessels: 552.
- Where does the information on Terra come from?
- The story cites Florida YIMBY and WLRN.
On the record
The county's lease item for the Seaquarium was placed on the Dec. 2, 2025 commission agenda (Item 11(A)(9)) as an assignment from MS Leisure Company to Resilient Aquarium LLC, directing the mayor to negotiate an amended and restated lease.
Public record · miamidade.gov
Primary record
- Our coverageOur Oct. 23 report on the residents' referendum suit covers the charter fight that now sits beside the lease deferral.Read our earlier story