SeaQuest Roseville closes permanently following yearlong investigation
SeaQuest in Roseville closed permanently on Tuesday, multiple sources confirmed to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
The closure comes as SeaQuest filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December and petitioned the court to sell the company to an insider for $80,000 in late January. SeaQuest later abandoned the sale, and a judge appointed a trustee to oversee the ongoing bankruptcy process.
SeaQuest has been at the center of a year of investigative reporting by 5 INVESTIGATES and ABC News, which revealed repeated incidents putting animals, guests and employees in danger.
Bankruptcy court records show the company’s gross revenues plummeted in 2024, dropping to $15.28 million from about $27.2 million in 2022. SeaQuest tells the court it currently has more than $16.6 million in liabilities compared to less than $700,000 in assets.
Those records showed SeaQuest owed nearly half a million dollars in unpaid rent to Rosedale Center for its Roseville location before its closure.
SeaQuest did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday about the closure of its aquarium in Minnesota.
The Roseville location had cut hours and admission prices back in December amid growing scrutiny in 2024, including an active investigation conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Its closure lowers the number of open SeaQuest locations to just four, prompting animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to declare victory.
“It’s a celebration – champagne corks are popping at PETA,” said Cydnee Bence, an attorney for the PETA Foundation. “This hell hole has consistently failed to meet even basic animal care standards.”
Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States, also celebrated the closure – the fifth SeaQuest location to shut down in less than two years.
“The surviving animals at SeaQuest Roseville must be transferred to accredited facilities where they can finally get the care they need and deserve,” said Aaron Zellhoefer, Minnesota state director of Humane World for Animals.