David Martin Moves on Superyacht Marina at Seaquarium Site

The site of the former Miami Seaquarium on Virginia Key is headed for a major redevelopment.

Miami-Dade County and Terra Group’s David Martin want to trade dolphin shows for superyachts with an application to build what could be the largest marina in the county, the Miami Herald reported.

The application, submitted to state regulators, calls for 325 boat slips, about 90 of which could accommodate yachts longer than 80 feet, and a 500-boat dry stack, the outlet said. The plan includes a fuel depot, a network of floating docks that extends halfway across the channel separating Virginia Key from nearby shallow waters, a wave break that doubles as a fishing pier and a fuel dock spanning over 19,000 square feet.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulators have concerns about the project’s impact on the protected wetlands, coral and water quality. In a six-page response to the application, regulators asked for details about dredging, a management plan for docks including sewage and fuel spill rules and any alternative designs the county had considered, the newspaper reported.

Miami-Dade County owns the land, at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, and evicted the Seaquarium in 2024 due to a series of animal welfare violations and the company’s failure to maintain the property. In December, the county tentatively agreed to lease the site to Martin, who stands to receive 95 percent of the profit from the marina boat slips under the proposal. Officials told the outlet the marina will be built and operated by Martin. They are still negotiating a final lease agreement.

Martin said last year he planned to invest between $75 million and $100 million in the property. In an opinion piece he wrote last year for the newspaper, Martin promised a new aquarium, a “fisherman’s village” with dining and retail and an education center.

The proposed marina requires a series of regulatory approvals.

County-owned land must be managed in a way that protects it for future generations, according to the county charter. The charter requires two-thirds of county voters to approve changes within aquatic preserves, including the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, where the proposed marina would encroach. County officials said the marina complies with the charter but did not explain, the newspaper said.

The county is seeking to rezone the property and establish a special district allowing the massive marina.

The county building department will review whether the plans comply with the county’s Manatee Protection Plan, which aims to minimize human-related threats to manatees. —Grace McClung