Photo: Getty Images
The iconic Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, New Jersey, which closed its doors last October, may soon be revived as a hotel. The pier's owner, ICONA Resorts, has proposed a plan to invest up to $155 million to transform the former amusement park into a 252-room oceanfront hotel, named "ICONA in Wonderland". The plan includes preserving the iconic Ferris wheel and carousel, which have been landmarks of the Ocean City skyline for years.
Eustace Mita, the developer and CEO of ICONA Resorts, shared the plan with council members and the Boardwalk Merchants Association. He emphasized that Ocean City hasn't had a new hotel in 50 years and has lost 70 percent of its hotel inventory to condos and duplexes. Mita believes his resort would bring in a thousand new customers on the Boardwalk every three days in summer. He told The Inquirer, "We call ourselves America’s Favorite family resort. We have the entertainment, and we’re killing off our hotels. We haven’t had a new hotel in half a century."
However, the plan has met with some opposition. Bill Merritt, president of the Friends of OCNJ History & Culture, expressed concerns about the impact on surrounding neighborhoods and the loss of a space dedicated to children. The plan still needs support from the city council, planning and zoning, and the DEP before moving forward. If approved, construction is expected to begin in the first or second quarter of 2025 and take 24 months to complete. According to 6abc, Mita's plan reportedly includes 375 parking spots for guests.