Mita Lays Out Plans For ICONA In Wonderland Luxury Hotel

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A standing room only crowd and even more people on Zoom gathered Monday night to watch as local developer Eustace Mita laid out his plans for the controversial ICONA in Wonderland luxury hotel that he hopes to have replace Gillian's Wonderland Pier.

Since its initial announcement, the seven-and-a-half story, 252-room hotel has been met with criticism from members of the community, many of whom wish the property to remain an amusement park. This was still clear at Monday's Third Ward meeting, hosted by Councilman Jody Levchuk, though some attendees also praised the proposal.

"We have to do something with the site," Mita said. "We can't just leave it the way it is."

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Mita, himself a longtime Ocean City resident, explained that the hotel would help boost Ocean City's economy and keep iconic parts of Wonderland, like the Ferris wheel and carousel. He maintained that Ocean City is badly in need of a hotel, as the island has lost about 2,000 hotel and motel rooms over the past few decades. There hasn't been a new hotel constructed in Ocean City in more than 50 years.

"We need the tourist," Mita said. "We need the transient person."

Most of the concerns shared by meeting attendees revolved around parking, alcohol and zoning. The hotel would add 375 parking spots, Mita said. The property would need to be rezoned as current laws do not allow for a hotel at its location.

Some residents feared that by allowing ICONA in Wonderland, more hotels would come and harm the island's reputation as "America's Greatest Family Resort."

"We do not need an entire boardwalk of hotels," said one resident. "We're not against hotel development, sir. We're against hotel development in that particular zone because of the precedent it will set."

Mita noted that no one else has tried to construct a hotel in Ocean City in years.

But some were looking forward to seeing the hotel.

One resident, who said her name was Bernadette, said she has been visiting Ocean City since the 1960s and has "seen all the changes."

"Thank you for being willing to invest in our city and to do it with elegance," she said. "We have to learn to embrace change in the city as it evolves."

Mita said that the proposal was not a done deal. It still needs various approvals before construction - which would take two years - can begin.

He also said that if anybody was willing, he would sell the property for the right offer.

"If somebody today wants to buy Wonderland and make it an amusement park," Mita said to the crowd, he would be willing to hear them out.