The Miami-Dade commissioner whose district includes the Miami Seaquarium has been delegated to negotiate with those now controlling the county-owned site on the bidding, auction and bankruptcy procedures for disposing of the attraction.
“I can practice in bankruptcy court and I have an expertise in valuation,” Raquel Regalado told commissioners, who unanimously backed her request to coordinate with Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to cut a deal that would need commission approval.
Her motion wasn’t on last week’s agenda and commissioners had no documents or written motion before they voted to have Ms. Regaldo protect county interests as the attraction works its way through in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.
“This is happening in real time so we need to participate,” Ms. Regalado said. “Otherwise, they’re going to make a decision without us…. They’re actually meeting with different folks that have ideas, and we need to either step in and participate or be left out of the conversation.”
The mayor and other critics have voiced doubts whether the Rickenbacker Causeway location on Virginia Key should continue to be a tourist attraction, and if so an aquatic attraction. The Seaquarium’s principal draw, killer whale Lolita, died two years ago and quality of care of sea life has long been in question.
“I hate getting motions without documentation in front of me,” said Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, who nonetheless supported Ms. Regalado’s motion. “It we knew that this motion was going to come in front of us, why didn’t [the county attorney’s] office just provide us a copy?”
The attorney’s office has been attending the bankruptcy hearings to monitor proceedings and has met with the debtors in possession, who said they wanted the county involved in deciding future site use. Ms. Regalado’s motion formally involved the county in bidding outcome subject to court and full commission approval.
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