Miami-Dade County landed a major courtroom win on Friday when a circuit judge granted the county's motion for summary judgment and rescinded the lease that had given Miami Wilds the green light to build on county-owned land next to Zoo Miami. The ruling from the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit effectively blocks the developer from moving ahead with its planned water park and hotel on the disputed parcels. County leaders are touting the decision as a stand for public-park deed restrictions and for the fragile habitat that hugs the edge of the zoo.
In a Friday press release from Miami-Dade County, officials said the court "granted the County’s motion for summary judgment and rescinded the lease agreement with Miami Wilds, LLC, thereby closing the case." Mayor Daniella Levine Cava added, "This ruling allows us to continue protecting our natural resources, honoring our legal commitments, and ensuring responsible stewardship of County property."
How the Miami Wilds Fight Got Here
The Miami Wilds project, a for-profit water park, retail strip and family hotel planned for about 27.5 acres of Zoo Miami parking lots, first cleared the county approval process in 2020 and was amended in 2022. Critics, including conservation advocates and Zoo Miami staff, pushed back hard, arguing the site borders rare pine-rockland habitat and could threaten species such as the Florida bonneted bat. Reporting by the Miami Herald details years of legal skirmishes, including a federal challenge to a National Park Service decision to loosen deed restrictions that had supported the project.
Why the Court Ruled for the County
In court, county attorneys argued that the lease hinged on a valid amended release of deed restrictions and that federal agencies had not wrapped up required environmental reviews, which they said left that key condition precedent unmet. With those arguments and related filings in hand, the judge granted summary judgment and rescinded the lease, according to the county's release.
What the Ruling Means Locally
The order keeps the contested land under the deed restrictions that limit private commercial use, and it gives Miami-Dade a clearer path to manage the parcels as park property going forward. The county's effort to unwind the deal did not come out of nowhere. Earlier steps to pull back from the agreement surfaced publicly, including a January 2024 report that the county canceled the Miami Wilds lease.
What Comes Next
Developers previously urged the county to revise the deal and insisted the project could rise on existing pavement without harming wildlife, according to the Miami Herald. Whether Miami Wilds will appeal the circuit court ruling or look for another location is still an open question.
