New Location For Vote On Wonderland Property In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — City Council will hold another vote on declaring the former Gillian's Wonderland Pier as an area in need of rehabilitation this week, and officials are anticipating a large turnout.

The Dec. 4 City Council meeting was moved to Ocean City Music Pier instead of its normal City Hall location.

It was last month when Councilman Jody Levchuk asked to get the vote on the agenda for the next meeting.

"I think we need to discuss putting this back to City Council to determine whether or not this should be a property in need of rehabilitation or redevelopment," Levchuk said at the time. "I think it's important."

Other councilmen and representatives of Ocean City business owners agreed.

The argument is that there will not be another amusement park to replace Wonderland, and so, they hope to see Eustace Mita's ICONA in Wonderland luxury hotel be constructed. That, supporters say, will bring foot traffic to that end of the Boardwalk and keep local businesses afloat.

If the vote is approved, it doesn't necessarily mean that Mita's hotel will be built. It just would streamline the process, as anything built there - hotel or not - would likely need a use variance.

Though bidders had expressed interest in the property, Mita said he would hold off on selling it, according to a Press of Atlantic City report.

If approved, it will likely kick off more controversy and arguments, as the property has been a source of such since Mita's initial announcement that he was seeking to construct a hotel.

Previous Reporting

• Powerful Norcross Family Bids On Wonderland Site, Reports Say
• 'It's Over': Wonderland Luxury Hotel Fails Critical Ocean City Council Vote
• Proposed Ocean City Luxury Hotel Launches Petition For Support
• More Than Half In Ocean City Oppose Wonderland Luxury Hotel, New Poll Says