Future of Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City unclear after split vote at packed meeting on boardwalk
After a meeting and a vote Wednesday night, the future of Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City has stalled once again.
In a 4-4 vote, the Ocean City Planning Board has hit pause on redeveloping the site into a possible hotel.
In December, Ocean City's City Council voted in favor of redeveloping Gillian's Wonderland, but officials paused the possibility of rezoning the area Wednesday night. They opted for more detailed information about the potential deterioration of the site.
Dozens gathered inside Ocean City's Music Pier as planning board members listened to testimony about whether or not the Wonderland Pier site needs rehabilitation. The split vote denied the motion, which would've sent it to Ocean City Council for the next steps.
A yes vote could've paved the way for developer Eustace Mita's proposal to build a hotel on the property. Mita is the CEO of Icona Resorts and owner of the Gillian's Wonderland property.
Mita, who said he would compromise his plan to build a luxury hotel with 250 rooms after it was shot down in a separate 6-1 vote in August, said he was disappointed with Wednesday night's decision.
"Very, very disappointed and honestly surprised," Mita said. "The council vote, I thought that could've gone either way. Today, I thought that this was a poster child for rehabilitation, so I'm shocked."
Wonderland Pier has divided the Jersey Shore town since the amusement park on the boardwalk closed in late 2024 after 94 years in operation.
With Gillian's Wonderland Pier closed this past summer, business leaders said the lack of foot traffic at that end of the boardwalk spelled a literal "dead end" for some merchants. Most businesses were flat year over year, according to the Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants Association.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian, the former owner of Wonderland Pier, filed for bankruptcy in December after a "series of financial challenges."