SeaQuest Holdings, LLC
Seaquest
TypePrivate
FoundedNovember 2015
Headquarters,
Area served
United States
Key people
Vince Covino, founder and CEO[1]
ServicesEntertainment, aquariums, petting zoos
Revenue$5 million
Number of employees
300
Websitevisitseaquest.com

SeaQuest Holdings, LLC better known as just SeaQuest, is an interactive marine, exotic mammal, and bird/reptile life attraction chain. It was founded by Vince Covino and features hands-on animal interactions at shopping malls throughout the United States.[2] The company has locations in Utah, Texas, Las Vegas, New Jersey, California, Minnesota, Colorado, and Virginia.[3] SeaQuest has attracted considerable controversy and legal issues due to concerns over its animal care standards.

History

SeaQuest was established in 2015 by Vince Covino.[4] Prior to the launch of SeaQuest, along with his brother Ammon, founded Portland Aquarium in 2012 (closed 2016),[5] the Austin Aquarium in 2013[6] and the San Antonio Aquarium in 2014.[7]

SeaQuest opened its first location at Layton, Utah in 2016.[8] This location was followed by one in the Las Vegas area, which also opened in 2016 at The Boulevard Mall.[9] A third location opened in Fort Worth, Texas in 2017.[10]

SeaQuest provides an immersive experience for visitors by allowing guests to touch, feed, and interact with exotic birds, reptiles, mammals, and marine life through hands-on exhibits throughout the aquarium.[11] Although similar to its sister aquariums, SeaQuest locations are usually housed within shopping malls.

SeaQuest's Littleton, Colorado location opened in June 2018.[12] SeaQuest went on to open its fifth location in Folsom in September 2018.[13][12] The company's location at the Stonecrest Mall opened in 2021 and was the first step of a redevelopment project by Stonecrest Resorts.[14]

In June 2023, the Stonecrest, Georgia location permanently closed. A new aquarium is supposed to be taking over the location.[15] In August 2023, the Trumbull, Connecticut location permanently closed after years of animal welfare violations.[16]

SeaQuest employee with tegu.
SeaQuest employee with tegu.

Locations

As of 2023, SeaQuest currently has 8 locations across the United States.[3]

Location Date Opened
Layton, Utah 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada 2016
Fort Worth, Texas 2017
Littleton, Colorado 2018[17]
Folsom, California 2018[18]
Roseville, Minnesota 2018[19]
Lynchburg, Virginia 2019[20]
Woodbridge, New Jersey 2019[21]
SeaQuest employee dressed as a mermaid.
SeaQuest employee dressed as a mermaid.

Former locations

Location Date Opened Date Closed
Stonecrest, Georgia 2021[7] 2023
Trumbull, Connecticut 2019[19] 2023

Community engagement

SeaQuest organized an event in collaboration with Layton Communities That Care to support the prevention underage drinking.[22] In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, SeaQuest's Stonecrest location also offered free COVID vaccinations.[23][[24] SeaQuest also organized an event for Georbrand Jackson, a 10-year-old who was injured in a drive-by shooting, in December 2021.[25][26]

Violations and controversies

SeaQuest has been subject to boycott and protests by animal-rights advocates such as PETA[27] and actor Alec Baldwin, who blocked an aquarium from being constructed on Long Island.[28] In addition, SeaQuest has been the subject of numerous violations and controversies at its various locations.[29]

Littleton, Colorado

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife suspended SeaQuest's exhibitor's license for two years due to an abundance of egregious violations related to the animals' welfare at the facility.[30]
  • In 2019, a sloth named Flash was burned by a heat lamp on two occasions resulting in significant burns to its face.[31] The employee responsible for the animal's care was charged with cruelty-to-animals, but was found not guilty.[32]
  • In 2018, Colorado Parks and Wildlife cited and fined SeaQuest for failing to report the death of a regulated kookaburra and issued warnings for the unlawful importation and possession of six wood ducks, unlawful importation of a caiman and wallaby, five counts of failing to report injuries to humans, and failing to report the deaths of 250 trout.[33]
  • In 2018, SeaQuest failed a Colorado Department of Agriculture pre-license inspection. Issues included illegal transfer of koi fish, unsanitary conditions, and allowing visitors to walk through the aviary while birds were grounded, creating a precarious environment where the birds were vulnerable to being stepped on.[34]
  • Additional events in 2018 included SeaQuest storing approximately 80 parakeets in an employee's garage after the company was ordered to shut down the interactive aviary,[35] and a state fine for SeaQuest's unlawful procurement of a two-toed sloth and failure to obtain an appropriate license for the animal.[36]
  • Approximately 30 injuries involving animal-to-human bites were reported to occur between June 2018 and January 2019.[37]
A kid petting a snake at SeaQuest.
A kid petting a snake at SeaQuest.

Las Vegas, Nevada

  • In 2019, Clark County Administrative Services suspended SeaQuest's exotic-animal permit because the facility held unpermitted otters and coatimundi. The agency imposed a $2,000 fine due to an Asian small-clawed otter dying after being caught in a water pool filtration system, and imposed an additional $2,000 fine for unpermitted animal breeding of Asian small-clawed otters.[28][38]
  • In 2018, a capybara named Wesley escaped while en route to a veterinary office and was injured in the process.[39]

Fort Worth, Texas

References

  1. "SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium CEO talks about plans, critics". CTInsider.com. September 14, 2019.
  2. Drake, Sarah (6 June 2013). "Portland, Boise aquarium owners bringing one to Austin". Austin Business Journal. Austin. Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 "SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium & Petting Zoo | Buy Tickets Online & Save". SeaQuest USA.
  4. "Arrest is latest problem for family tied to new Utah aquarium". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  5. "Portland Aquarium to close in 2016". The Seattle Times. 2015-12-18. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  6. Lim, Andra. "Austin Aquarium opens as scrutiny increases". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  7. 1 2 Sears, David (2014-10-16). "KSAT gets behind the scenes look at new SA aquarium". KSAT. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  8. "Aquarium offering 'interactive' experience coming to Layton Hills Mall". standard.net. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  9. "The Boulevard Welcomes SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium with Sharks, Stingrays and other Marine Animals". 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  10. "Want to swim with sharks and stingrays? A look inside the new aquarium at Ridgmar". star-telegram.com. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  11. "Our Story". SeaQuest USA. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  12. 1 2 "SeaQuest to Open Newest Interactive Aquarium Near Sacramento". InPark Magazine. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  13. "Let's Go: Visit with the animals at Folsom's SeaQuest". goldcountrymedia.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  14. Hansen, Zachary. "Developer says new aquarium at Stonecrest mall is just the beginning". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  15. "SeaQuest Stonecrest to close for renovations and reopen under new name, management".
  16. "SeaQuest Connecticut announces closure".
  17. "SeaQuest to Open Newest Interactive Aquarium Near Sacramento". InPark Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  18. "Let's Go: Visit with the animals at Folsom's SeaQuest". goldcountrymedia.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  19. 1 2 Grice, Jordan (2019-07-02). "SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium opens in Trumbull". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  20. Irby, Sarah. "SeaQuest to open October 18 in Lynchburg". wdbj7.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  21. "SeaQuest Aquarium Coming to Woodbridge, NJ This Fall". Mommy Poppins. 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  22. "SeaQuest Aquarium scavenger hunt to prevent underage drinking". FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU). 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  23. "Stonecrest aquarium offers free admission, $100 gift cards to vaccinated visitors". ajc. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  24. "DeKalb Commissioner Cochran-Johnson, developer Vaughn Irons co-sponsors 2nd free COVID-19 vaccination event - On Common Ground News - 24/7 local news". ocgnews.com. 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  25. "SeaQuest provides "magical" day to 10-year-old Stonecrest boy who was injured in drive-by shooting - On Common Ground News - 24/7 local news". 2021-12-31. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  26. "10-Year-Old Boy Who Was Shot Gets Merry Christmas At SeaQuest Stonecrest". Decatur-Avondale Estates, GA Patch. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  27. "PETA calls out Utah aquarium that was cited after several guests bitten". ABC4 Utah. 21 March 2022.
  28. 1 2 "Citation issued as SeaQuest remains under investigation". KTNV. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  29. "Inspection Report". acis.aphis.edc.usda.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  30. "CPW suspends license for SeaQuest aquarium". KMGH. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  31. "SeaQuest Criminal Trial Set After Sloth Suffers Burns (Aug. 2019)". PETA. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  32. "Aquarium worker found not guilty of animal cruelty in case of an injured sloth". The Denver Post. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  33. "SeaQuest license suspended after repeated violations". Colorado Community Media. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  34. "New SeaQuest aquarium fails 2 animal welfare inspections". FOX31 Denver. 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  35. "SeaQuest stores 80 parakeets in teenager's garage; state investigating". FOX31 Denver. 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  36. Fleming, Sara (2019-09-05). "SeaQuest Littleton Employee Faces Animal-Neglect Charges". Westword. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  37. "State investigating SeaQuest, 30 injuries reported". KMGH. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  38. "Another animal death uncovered at SeaQuest". KTNV. 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  39. "Capybara found safe after brief escape from Las Vegas aquarium". October 23, 2018.
  40. "SeaQuest in Hot Water Over Dangerous Public Handling of Otter". PETA. 2019-03-14. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
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