MIAMI – The Miami Seaquarium filed a federal lawsuit Friday against Miami-Dade County, just two days before a deadline to vacate the Virginia Key property.

It’s the latest volley in an ongoing battle between the troubled marine park and the county, which, citing U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports documenting a series of repeat violations, is pressing forward in its lease termination process, with an April 21 deadline.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by MS Leisure Corporation, alleges unfair regulatory practices, breach of contract, restrictive zoning and land use policies, economic damages and reputational harm.

USDA report reveals more animal welfare issues at Miami Seaquarium

The 32-page document seeks a halt to the county’s plan to evict the company. It also seeks $35 million from the county as compensation for the lease termination.

It says that the county’s plan to “eject MS Leisure from the Seaquarium, without any lawful plan of action for the animals,” is a violation of the Endangered Species Act. It also alleges that the county would be violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the company’s constitutional rights.

The suit states that without MS Leisure being able to access the property, “the animals will undoubtedly suffer and likely perish.”

It also claims that the county officials violated the company’s First Amendment rights by retaliating against it for protesting county actions by citing it with “inapplicable code violations” and “by leaking false information about USDA inspections.”

The Seaquarium’s parent company released a statement on the lawsuit Friday:

“Filing this lawsuit against Miami-Dade County is a step we take with heavy hearts but clear minds, driven by our duty to protect our legacy and ensure our ability to continue making positive impacts on marine conservation. We stand firm in our belief that with fair treatment and support from Miami-Dade County, we can overcome the current challenges and emerge stronger, for the benefit of our community, our staff, and the animals we are dedicated to protecting, just like we do in all our parks.”

Eduardo Albor, Dolphin Company CEO

The county has yet to comment on the suit.

This is a developing story. Stay with Local 10 and Local10.com for updates.

Read the lawsuit:

Despite a number of close calls, Nashville SC hasn’t gotten the better of Lionel Messi yet.

On Saturday, Nashville (1-2-4, seven points) will get another opportunity when it faces Inter Miami (4-2-3, 15 points) at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium (6:30 p.m. CT, Apple TV).

Since Messi signed with Inter Miami last summer, the Herons are unbeaten in four matches against Nashville. The first three — including an epic Leagues Cup final that Miami won on penalties — all ended tied after 90 minutes, but the most recent meeting did not. Messi and legendary Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez both scored in Miami’s 3-1 win on March 13, which knocked Nashville out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in the round of 16.

Here’s our score prediction and scouting report for Saturday:

Nashville returns from off week in better health

Nashville’s most recent win was 2-1 over Charlotte FC on March 16. Since then, it has gone 0-2-1 and fallen to 14th in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have been a huge part of that struggle: Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore, Tyler Boyd and Randall Leal, all starters or close to it when healthy, missed Nashville’s 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union on April 6.

An open week gave Nashville time to get healthy. Coach Gary Smith said Thursday that he expects Boyd and Leal to be “part of the equation” against Inter Miami. Zimmerman and Moore have been active in training and “aren’t a million miles off,” but Smith thinks Saturday “might be a push” for the United States internationals.

MORE: How a packed, unforgiving schedule has led to Nashville SC’s worst MLS start since 2020

In addition to two likely reinforcements in attack, Nashville — for the first time this season — heads into a game as the more rested team. Inter Miami has played two games since Nashville’s most recent: a loss to Monterrey, which eliminated Inter Miami from the CCC quarterfinals on April 10, and a win over Sporting Kansas City on April 13.

It’s not a situation Nashville encounters often, but it has boded well in the past. In September, Nashville thrashed Kansas City 3-0 on the road after an 18-day break, during which SKC played twice.

Lionel Messi back from injury

Messi left his previous game against Nashville with a hamstring injury, which ultimately caused him to miss four matches. He made his return in a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids on April 6, scoring his team’s lone goal, and found the net again against Kansas City.

The Herons are 4-1-3 when Messi plays and just 1-3-1 when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner sits.

“When he’s in the group, there’s a very different feel, look and inspiration about the team,” Smith said. ” . . . When (Miami) is at full strength, they’re going to be a mightily difficult team to suffocate and to really get anything out of.”

Hany Mukhtar off to solid start

On Thursday, Hany Mukhtar appeared surprised when a reporter told him that by one measure, he’s off to his second-best start to a season with Nashville.

Mukhtar is averaging 0.76 combined goals and assists per 90 minutes through seven MLS games. That ranks behind only his 0.87 average from 2022, a season in which he scored 23 goals, assisted on 11 more and was named the league’s MVP.

Mukhtar is optimistic he can build on that start. For one, he said he’s “feeling much better” after a hamstring injury kept him out of three games at the start of the season. He also thinks that the return of Boyd and Leal will allow him to play higher up the field, where he’s more comfortable.

“I think now with Randall coming slowly back and Tyler Boyd coming back to the team, that we find our way,” Mukhtar said. “Me and Sam (Surridge) can stay a little bit higher, be more effective, getting balls from our midfielders in that attacking third.”

Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami score prediction

Nashville 2, Inter Miami 2: Defensive woes continue without Zimmerman and Moore, but Boyd and Leal provide a jolt to the attack and Nashville rides two weeks of rest to earn a point on the road.

MORE: Inside Taylor Washington’s journey from USL to Nashville SC mainstay in MLS

Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.

In Wednesday’s Eastern Conference play-in tournament clash between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers, an unexpected turn of events unfolded, leaving Heat fans holding their breath and speculating about the team’s playoff hopes. The game, which ended in a narrow 105-104 loss for the Heat, not only saw a fierce on-court battle but also a concerning injury to one of Miami’s star players, Jimmy Butler.

During the intense matchup, Butler suffered an injury when Kelly Oubre Jr. of the 76ers inadvertently fell on his leg during a pivotal play. Despite the setback, Butler remarkably soldiered on, finishing the game. However, the severity of his injury became apparent when Miami announced the following day that Butler would be sidelined for Friday’s crucial game against the Chicago Bulls due to a right MCL sprain.

Reacting to the injury diagnosis on Heat‘s Instagram post, Butler issued a terse message directed at Oubre Jr., stating, “Kelly Oubre we throwing hands.”

Butler will miss significant time

With Butler‘s absence looming large, the Heat face an uphill battle in their upcoming matchup against the Bulls, as well as potential future games in the postseason. The prospect of Butler being sidelined for several weeks, as reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, casts a shadow over Miami‘s playoff aspirations, particularly considering the team’s reliance on Butler’s leadership and on-court prowess.

Despite the setback, Butler‘s resilience was on full display during the game against the 76ers, where he logged an impressive 40 minutes of play. Despite visibly struggling with his shot, Butler contributed significantly to the Heat’s efforts, tallying 19 points, five assists, five steals, and four rebounds. However, his valiant performance wasn’t enough to secure victory for Miami, as they ultimately fell short against a determined 76ers squad led by Joel Embiid and Nicolas Batum.

Looking ahead, Miami faces the daunting task of navigating the remainder of the postseason without their cornerstone player. While the road ahead may be fraught with challenges, the Heat’s depth and resilience will be put to the test as they strive to overcome adversity and make their mark in the competitive landscape of playoff basketball.