Future of shuttered Gillian's Wonderland Pier uncertain after OC Council vote
"I feel terrible for Ocean City because they just missed the opportunity of a lifetime," said developer Eustace Mita.
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- The future of the shuttered Gillian's Wonderland Pier remains uncertain after Ocean City Council voted Thursday night against advancing redevelopment plans for the site.
In a 6-1 vote, council members rejected a proposal to ask the planning board to designate the property as an area in need of redevelopment - effectively halting plans for a multi-story hotel pitched by Icona Resorts, which owns the site.
There have been mixed opinions over the planned project.
RELATED: Ocean City residents express concerns over proposed hotel at Wonderland Pier property
During the meeting, Mayor Jay Gillian had to call out residents for disrupting developer Eustace Mita during public comment.
Mita purchased the property in 2021. The amusement park, a fixture on the boardwalk, closed after 94 years in operation.
In a statement, Mita told Action News that he will put the property up for sale.
"I feel terrible for Ocean City because they just missed the opportunity of a lifetime. Rather than putting Wonderland into a redevelopment zone, they elected to kick the can down the road and wait until the master plan revamps a few years from now. I don't have five years to wait, so we're out. We're putting it up for sale," he said.
RELATED: Developer hopes to turn shuttered Wonderland Pier into 252-room hotel
