Beloved Florida aquatic theme park shutters as owners file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Gulf World Marine Park has closed and is now up for sale after years of money troubles and mounting animal welfare concerns. 

The Panama City, Florida, attraction — a fixture since 1970 — had drawn 150,000 visitors a year but came under fire after five dolphins died between October 2024 and May while performing shows. 

Police raided the property earlier this year as part of an ongoing probe. 

‘These are not isolated incidents — they are signs of failure, and they demand immediate action,’ Senator Jay Trumbull said in a Facebook post.

Parent company The Dolphin Company has since filed for bankruptcy protection, seeking $8 million to restructure. It is looking to sell Gulf World.

Miami Seaquarium, home to 500 animals, and Marineland in St Augustine, FL, with 17 dolphins, are also on the market. 

Gulf World Marine Park was home to various aquatic species and wildlife, including sea lions, turtles and tropical birds.

Local residents accused the park of crumbling infrastructure and poor care for its animals. 

‘The park is just quite literally falling apart, the animals, all but I would say a couple of them, in my eyes, were suffering,’ Panama City Beach resident Katie Bashore revealed in May to WJHG.

She also claimed the shows took place in structures with algae floating in the water, and insisted it also posed a danger to humans.

Broker Matthew Bordwin, who is overseeing the sale, expects Gulf World to be sold between 45 and 90 days. 

‘It will be sold for redevelopment, and so we’re working on that sale,’ Bordwin told WJHG last week, adding the firm is ‘accepting offers immediately.’

With the investigation and parks up for sale, Bordwin expects The Dolphin Company ‘will not exist any further’ now that its selling assets and animals.

Gulf World Marine Park was not the only park to receive the axe this year.

Playland amusement park closed its gates in California on March 30 after 70 years following longtime business difficulties.

The park had shuttered most of its rides in 2000 over safety hazards, and temporarily shut it down more than once.

Florida’s Gulf World Marine Park shuttered after 55 years in May

Visitors were concerned of the park’s structures used during its shows

Six Flags in Maryland is set to close on November 2, the final day of its annual fright fest.

Home to the world’s third-oldest roller coaster, the park had been battling money problems, and was considered not to be beneficial in the company’s plan to enhance guest experiences.

Six Flags is also planning to close its Six Flags California’s Great America park after concluding it was ‘very low on the ranking margins.’

Although it is set to shutter, the Santa Clara tourist attraction is not expected to shut down until 2027. a year before the land lease ends.

DailyMail.com has reached out to The Dolphin Company about the Gulf World Marine Park closure and animal welfare concerns.