The J Laca Museum was a 2,000 sq. ft. collection of sports and jai-alai memorabilia located in Seminole, Florida. This priceless and one-of-a-kind accumulation was designed from scratch and encompassed 14-spaces of a 17-car garage.  However, Hurricane Helene hit the Big Bend area of Florida near Perry, causing massive flooding in the Tampa Bay area – over 200 miles south.  The museum was designed with existing pillars and lots of drywall making up 8 individual rooms.  Over 42” inches of water flooded the property destroying everything in the museum at that level and below including everything in 6 lighted display cases.

The heavily secured museum was climate controlled at 35% humidity and is kept in total darkness to preserve everything unless opened up for private showings and parties. About 720 people visited the museum that opened in early 2015 and was closed permanently – and unexpectedly – on September 26, 2024, because of the storm.  On three separate hurricane threats over the past decade, the museum was emptied out and brought upstairs to the top two levels for safety.  No one saw this flooding take place, surges that hit levels never seen in well over a 100 years.

The biggest crowd to attend was on July 11, 2015, when 230 people attended including baseball HOF members Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff.

There are no plans to rebuild it due to the loss of about $400,000 incurred from losing 2 cars, a boat, a home office, a lift station, pool equipment, tools, holiday decorations and more on the ground level in addition to severe loses to the museum which was not covered by insurance along with many other items.  It took 8 days for a crew of 7 to dismantle everything and dispose of in seven huge trailer loads.