A $19 million sea lion habitat that opened less than a year ago is already rusting, leaking, and breaking down mechanically, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance said in a lawsuit filed against the attraction’s design firm and contractor.
The habitat, called Schlessman Shores, was supposed to be a state-of-the-art facility for the zoo’s California sea lions when it debuted in June 2025, complete with “a deep saltwater pool, sunny rocky shores, and immersive underwater views — all designed to support natural behaviors and create unforgettable guest experiences,” zoo officials .
The new habitat was also supposed to save 8 million gallons of water per year with newly efficient back-end systems. The former California sea lion habitat, Northern Shores, opened in 1987 and had not been updated in nearly 40 years. The two-year construction timeline meant the zoo’s five sea lions had to be housed elsewhere during that time.
However, zoo officials are now citing dozens of problems with the completed habitat, which is already dangerous, unsightly, and a waste of resources, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on March 17 in Denver District Court. They’re seeking unspecified damages from Colorado companies Vertix Builders and Barker Rinker Seacast Architecture (BRS).
“We are committed to resolving this matter as efficiently as possible, and to ensuring the habitat stands the test of time and meets the agreed-upon intent to provide our animals with a high-quality environment,” the Denver Zoo Conservation Foundation Alliance wrote in a statement provided to The Denver Post.
The complaint includes four separate claims, with two each against Vertix and BRS for breach of contract and breach of warranty. The lawsuit includes claims that BRS’s design failures resulted in construction delays and additional costs to “raise the pool, curbs, skimmers and to revise the beach area,” as well as failures in the design for the sump pump, pool, and barriers. BRS also failed to specify appropriate caging and metal hardware, resulting in rust, the zoo claimed.
“DZA made known to BRS the presence of these errors, omissions, and deficiencies,” according to the lawsuit. However, BRS failed to correct or resolve the problems, “which fall below the standard of professional practice.”
The lawsuit also claims Vertix’s poor work resulted in broken sump pumps, areas of water leakage, a falling pipe, exposed metal ties, peeling paint, faulty caulking, rust, and salt water leaching from the habitat’s upper pool into the moat, among others.
Vertix also failed to correct its work after the zoo notified them of the problems, the lawsuit claims.
The zoo is being represented by Tiffanie D. Stasiak and Lisa M. Saccomano of Denver-based firm Kutak Rock.
Vertix and BRS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
