After a plan to convert the shuttered Gillian's Wonderland Pier site into a luxury resort was rejected this summer, the owner of the former Ocean City, New Jersey, amusement pier called for the site to be redeveloped in some way.

Developer Eustace Mita, CEO of Icona Resorts, was joined by Ocean City business leaders in a news conference calling for the site to be redeveloped Wednesday. 

For that to happen, it will need to be approved by Ocean City Council. Councilmembers will vote Thursday night whether to redevelop the space. 

Known for its Ferris wheel, log flume and roller coaster, Gillian's Wonderland pier closed its doors October 2024 after 94 years in business.

"Getting it into redevelopment actually brings the developer and council both to the table to negotiate, and until that process happens, the negotiation can't start," Caitlin Quirk, the Ocean City Downtown Merchants Association president, said.

Business leaders at a news conference said the lack of foot traffic at that end of the boardwalk spelled a literal "dead end" for some merchants.

"There have been four stores that have closed already, so we weren't quick enough for them," Wes Kazmarck, the president of the Boardwalk Merchants Association, said.

In Ocean City, 600 Boardwalk is owned by Mita and zoned for amusements and home to the Ferris Wheel and historic carousel. In August, city council shot down a measure for redevelopment, essentially killing his proposal to redevelop the site with a seven and a half story hotel and other amenities.

Mita later priced the property at $25 million and said he received competing offers from developers who he says would build townhomes.

Mita said he'd alter his original hotel plan for collaboration and compromise if city council votes for redevelopment.

"I don't know any developers who have had a project where they have 100% of the constituency behind them, I don't know how they can vote anything but yes," Mita said. "But if they do, they're just going against the entire city of Ocean City."

Representatives of the Boardwalk Association said this past summer, most businesses were flat year over year.

"We need that anchor at the end of the boardwalk; regardless of what that anchor is, we need that to bring people back to that end of the boardwalk," Chuck Mangle, the vice president of the Boardwalk Association, said.

Officials said any plan to reopen the property as an amusement park wouldn't be feasible.

Councilman Jody Levchuk attended the news conference and said he'll vote to redevelop.

"In order for something viable to happen at that property, it needs a rezoning classification of some sort," Levchuk said. "It needs a relief of some sort. That's the bottom line."

Other councilmembers had no comment or did not return requests for comment to CBS News Philadelphia.