PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Dolphin Company (“the Company”), a global operator of aquatic theme parks, has closed its Gulf World facility in Panama City Beach, Florida until further notice while the Company evaluates the circumstances surrounding the unexpected and unfortunate passing of Samira, a bottlenose dolphin, at Gulf World earlier this week.
Due to numerous financial and operational issues, the Company’s newly appointed fiduciaries commenced Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on March 31, 2025 before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware. Prior to the bankruptcy filing, Gulf World experienced years of neglect by the Company’s previous Mexico-based management team. The fiduciaries continue to pursue all remedies available in the bankruptcy proceedings to obtain the records and access to information necessary to provide for the health and welfare of all the Company’s animals.
Animal welfare and safety continue to be top priorities for the fiduciaries who are managing the Company under the auspices of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Out of an abundance of caution, the Gulf World is closed to the public until further notice. The Company is coordinating with the appropriate regulatory authorities to safely move the Gulf World marine animals to other parks in Florida.
ABOUT THE DOLPHIN COMPANY
The Dolphin Company is an aquatic park operator with a global presence, operating 30 parks and dolphin habitats in 8 countries, focusing on interactive experiences with marine mammals and promoting environmental stewardship through education and conservation efforts.
Additional information about the Chapter 11 filing, including court documents and claims information, can be found at (https://www.veritaglobal.net/dolphinco); or by calling 888-733-1434 (U.S./Canada) or 310-751-2633 (International).
SOURCE Leisure Investments Holdings LLC, et al. (The Dolphin Company)
