Now That Gillian's Wonderland Pier Is Closed, What's Next?

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Hundreds of people spent this past weekend on the Boardwalk, enjoying the final days of operation for Gillian's Wonderland Pier. Sunday's closure marks the end of a 94-year Gillian family legacy in Ocean City. And now that it's officially closed, residents and vacationers alike are wondering: what's next?

Rumors have been floating since Mayor Jay Gillian announced the amusement park's closure this past August.

Gillian, who co-owned the property with Icona Resorts CEO Eustace Mita, said that he had tried to keep the park running, but the business was no longer viable.

Mita took over the park in 2021 when it was at risk of foreclosure. Now, it's unclear what he is going to do with the property. He previously told other news outlets that he would take until the end of the year to determine what will be done.

Early in 2023, Mita proposed a $150 million luxury hotel on the Boardwalk, next to Wonderland. At the time, many residents voiced concerns about the proposal, and Gillian shot it down.

Some fear that Wonderland could become a luxury hotel now, and that it could harm Ocean City's family-friendly reputation by allowing alcohol. Read more: Could Wonderland Closure Bring Alcohol To Ocean City? Officials Speak

A new local non-profit Friends of OCNJ History & Culture is trying to save the iconic Ferris wheel, if not the entire park.

Bill Merritt, one of the group's founders, previously asked that officials keep options open and not begin any demolition on the park while these options are being explored. Read more: Save Iconic Wonderland Ferris Wheel, Ocean City Residents Say

Merritt told the Associated Press that the group has raised more than $1 million to help meet a possible $20 million price tag for the property.

“Ocean City will be fundamentally different without this attraction,” he told the Associated Press. “This town relies on being family-friendly. The park has rides targeted at kids; it’s called ‘Wonderland’ for a reason.”

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