What was supposed to be a splashy showcase for sea lions at the Denver Zoo has turned into a courtroom drama. Less than a year after reopening a rebuilt, $19 million habitat, the Denver Zoological Foundation says the exhibit is leaking, cracking and corroding, and has now sued to force repairs and recoup costs.
What the lawsuit alleges
The complaint names Barker Rinker Seacat (BRS Architecture) and Vertix Builders and accuses them of multiple design and construction failures, including active water seepage, cracked demonstration beaches, rusting doors and peeling paint. The zoo says those issues inflated costs and undercut the project's original vision. Those allegations appear in the court filing as described by Westword.
Case details and docket listing
On Denver court dockets, the case is listed as Denver Zoological Foundation Inc. v. Vertix Builders Inc.; Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture P.C., filed in mid March under case number 26cv30952. Attorneys Tiffanie D. Stasiak and Lisa M. Saccomano of Kutak Rock are identified as representing the zoo. Local docket coverage summarizes the filing and the named parties, according to BusinessDen.
Zoo response and animal health
Despite the alleged construction problems, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance told Westword that the sea lions at the Schlessman Shores habitat are “safe and healthy” and that “there are no immediate health or safety concerns for the animals.” The zoo also said some of the issues in the lawsuit have already been fixed and that it is committed to resolving the remaining problems to protect the long-term sustainability of the habitat.
How the exhibit was built and funded
The revamped Schlessman Shores habitat reopened in June 2025 after nearly two years of work and about $19 million in construction and fundraising. It introduced a 16-foot underwater viewing window, saltwater pools, and upgraded filtration systems, according to coverage by the Denver Gazette and the zoo’s project pages. During the overhaul, sea lions were temporarily moved off the exhibit and brought back once the new habitat reopened.
What the suit could mean
The lawsuit frames the alleged problems as breaches of contract and professional negligence and asks the court to hold the design and construction firms responsible for repair costs and related damages. Unless the parties settle, the dispute will move forward on Denver’s civil docket. BusinessDen lists the case as active and identifies the zoo’s legal team.
Visitors and next steps
For now, Schlessman Shores remains open to the public. The zoo says daily sea lion demonstrations are still on the schedule while staff monitor and address the cited issues, and the exhibit page continues to list showtimes and visitor guidelines as the legal fight unfolds. For additional background on the habitat and current visitor information, see Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.
