SeaQuest (aquariums) facts for kids
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Trade name
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Seaquest |
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| Private | |
| Founded | November 2015 |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Vince Covino, founder and CEO |
| Services | Entertainment, aquariums, petting zoos |
| Revenue | $5 million |
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Number of employees
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300 |
SeaQuest Holdings, LLC, usually called SeaQuest, is a chain of interactive animal attractions. These places let you get close to marine life, exotic mammals, birds, and reptiles. Vince Covino started SeaQuest in 2015. Many SeaQuest locations are found inside shopping malls across the United States. They offer hands-on experiences where visitors can touch, feed, and interact with various animals.
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A Look at SeaQuest's History
SeaQuest was started in 2015 by Vince Covino. The first SeaQuest location opened in Layton, Utah in 2016. Later that same year, another location opened in the Las Vegas area. In 2017, a third SeaQuest opened in Fort Worth, Texas.
SeaQuest aims to give visitors a special experience. Guests can touch, feed, and interact with many different animals. These include exotic birds, reptiles, mammals, and marine life. Unlike some other aquariums, SeaQuest locations are often built inside shopping malls.
The SeaQuest in Littleton, Colorado, opened in June 2018. A fifth location in Folsom, California, opened in September 2018. The company's location at the Stonecrest Mall opened in 2021.
In June 2023, the Stonecrest, Georgia location closed its doors for good. A new aquarium is expected to take its place. In August 2023, the Trumbull, Connecticut location also closed permanently. This happened after several years of concerns about animal care.
Where You Can Find SeaQuest
As of 2023, SeaQuest has 8 locations open across the United States.
| Location | Date Opened |
| Layton, Utah | 2016 |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | 2016 |
| Fort Worth, Texas | 2017 |
| Folsom, California | 2018 |
| Roseville, Minnesota | 2018 |
| Lynchburg, Virginia | 2019 |
| Woodbridge, New Jersey | 2019 |
Past SeaQuest Locations
Some SeaQuest locations have closed over time. Here are some of the former spots:
| Location | Date Opened | Date Closed |
| Littleton, Colorado | 2018 | 2024 |
| Stonecrest, Georgia | 2021 | 2023 |
| Trumbull, Connecticut | 2019 | 2023 |
Helping the Community
SeaQuest has also been involved in community activities. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stonecrest location offered free COVID vaccinations. SeaQuest also hosted a special event in December 2021 for Georbrand Jackson, a 10-year-old boy who had been injured.
Concerns and Animal Care Issues
SeaQuest has faced some concerns and protests from groups that care about animals, like PETA. Actor Alec Baldwin also spoke out against a planned aquarium. There have been several issues reported at different SeaQuest locations regarding animal care.
Littleton, Colorado Location Concerns
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife stopped SeaQuest from showing animals for two years. This was because of many serious concerns about how the animals were being cared for.
- In 2019, a sloth named Flash got burned by a heat lamp twice. This caused serious burns to its face.
- In 2018, SeaQuest was fined for not reporting the death of a kookaburra bird. They also received warnings for bringing in animals like wood ducks, a caiman, and a wallaby without proper permits. They also failed to report injuries to people and the deaths of 250 trout fish.
- In 2018, SeaQuest did not pass an inspection by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Problems included moving koi fish illegally and unclean conditions. Visitors were also allowed to walk where birds were on the ground, which could be dangerous for the birds.
- Also in 2018, SeaQuest kept about 80 parakeets in an employee's garage. This happened after they were told to close their interactive bird area. They were also fined for getting a two-toed sloth without the right license.
- About 30 incidents where animals bit people were reported between June 2018 and January 2019.
- This location permanently closed on February 4, 2024, due to ongoing animal welfare concerns.
Las Vegas, Nevada Location Concerns
- In 2019, Clark County stopped SeaQuest from having certain exotic animals. This was because the facility had otters and coatimundi without the right permits.
- They were fined $2,000 because an Asian small-clawed otter died after getting stuck in a water filter system. They were also fined another $2,000 for breeding otters without permission.
- In 2018, a capybara named Wesley got away while being taken to a vet and was hurt.
Fort Worth, Texas Location Concerns
- In 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture noted that SeaQuest needed to do more to keep visitors safe. This was during public interactions with an Asian small-clawed otter.
