Ocean City community group calls Boardwalk hotel project "a big mistake"

They call it "a better idea" for what would otherwise be "a big mistake."

A local community group opposed to plans for a luxury resort hotel on the Ocean City Boardwalk in place of the defunct Wonderland Pier amusement park unveiled a dramatically different proposal for the site Saturday.

Calling it "Wonderland Commons," the group Ocean City 2050 envisions a mixed-use development that would feature boutique lodging, a small amusement park, a cutting-edge digital entertainment center and vibrant public spaces "coming together in one dynamic destination."

"Each element is independently operated but designed to work in harmony, creating a flexible, sustainable, and financially viable model," Ocean City 2050 said in a statement.

Representatives of the group presented their ideas for Wonderland's redevelopment during a packed community meeting Saturday at the Ocean City Free Public Library. Their presentation included architectural renderings of the proposed project and a video, which can be viewed at BigMistake.org.

"This is not a recreation of the old Wonderland," Jim Kelly, a spokesman for Ocean City 2050, said in a statement. "It's something entirely new, better - and also joyfully familiar. A place where public space, classic fun, and smart development come together."

"It's nostalgic, affordable, and financially sound. We think this plan is a win-win for our town and the developer, and we're optimistic that it's a solution that everyone can get behind," Kelly continued.

    From left, Ocean City 2050 leaders Jim Kelly, Bill Merritt and Dan Gilman address the audience at the community meeting.
  

Ocean City 2050 believes that the Wonderland Commons proposal represents "a better idea" compared to what would be "a big mistake" if the owner of the Wonderland property, developer Eustace Mita, is able to carry out his plans for a 252-room luxury resort hotel costing an estimated $150 million.

Bill Merritt and Dan Gilman, two of the leaders of Ocean City 2050, contended that the proposed hotel is simply too big, would overwhelm the surrounding neighborhoods and is opposed by the majority of residents in town.

"It's too big. You've got to make it smaller," Gilman told the audience during the meeting, while casting doubt that Mita would even be able to line up financing for such a large hotel.

Representatives of Ocean City 2050 asserted that their project would be more palatable to the public by mixing together different attractions that would appeal to adults, children and families.

The plan would include:

-- A Reimagined Wonderland – A smaller, more compact amusement park designed for young children and their families, focusing on lower costs, simple rides, and plenty of charm and "moments of pure delight."

-- A Digital Entertainment Center – A tech-oriented, immersive, year-round destination with virtual reality experiences, escape rooms, projection games, and interactive storytelling for teenagers and adults.

-- Public attractions – A free children's playground, band shell stage for live music and performances and a rooftop deck with ocean views.

-- A rotating selection of food trucks – It would feature local chefs and regional street food classics.

-- Low-rise, high-end lodging – A smaller, boutique-style hotel with rooftop pools, comfortable seating, retail, and dining on the ground floor that would blend into the neighborhood and Boardwalk surroundings.

"It's efficient, collaborative, financeable, and profitable - and offers a path to avoid costly legal challenges and build something that works for everyone. Taken together, the components of Wonderland Commons form an exciting place to play, a place to stay, and a future Ocean City can truly own," Merritt said.

    An architectural rendering depicts the reimagined facade of the former Wonderland Pier site overlooking the Boardwalk, as proposed by Ocean City 2050. (Courtesy of Ocean City 2050)
  

Merritt declined to reveal the estimated cost of the project when asked by OCNJDaily.com in an interview after the meeting.

Ocean City 2050 plans to meet with Mita in the near future to make a pitch for the project, Merritt said.

Mita, the owner of the ICONA brand of luxury resorts at the Jersey Shore, wants to transform the Wonderland site with an upscale hotel he would call "ICONA in Wonderland."

He plans to ask the city to declare the former Wonderland site an area "in need of redevelopment," a designation that would allow him to build a hotel in a section of the Boardwalk currently zoned for amusements, retail shops and restaurants.

Mita acquired the Wonderland property in 2021 for a reported $10 million after Mayor Jay Gillian, who had been the owner, defaulted on an $8 million mortgage and faced a sheriff's sale.

Gillian, whose family had owned Wonderland Pier since the 1960s, continued to operate the amusement park until he closed it down in October 2024 after struggling for years with financial difficulties.

    An architectural rendering depicts the proposed "ICONA in Wonderland" resort hotel that developer Eustace Mita wants to build on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
  

Mita's hotel project has been endorsed by key business groups, including the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Boardwalk Merchants Association and the Downtown Merchants Association.

However, the  Chamber of Commerce attached a number of conditions to its endorsement of Mita’s project. The Chamber wants Mita to seek local input and build consensus for the project while acting as “a responsible neighbor and community partner.”

Among its recommendations, the Chamber wants Mita to conduct a comprehensive traffic study to evaluate and address potential congestion and infrastructure impacts caused by a project of this magnitude.

Perhaps the most intriguing recommendation is the Chamber’s desire for Mita to donate Wonderland Pier’s landmark 140-foot-tall Ferris wheel to the city "as a symbol of goodwill and legacy."

Mita has said he plans to incorporate the Ferris wheel within the hotel complex, along with Wonderland’s historic carousel.

For the summer, Mita has reopened the Wonderland property with a new arcade and pizzeria while he continues to work on his longer-term plan to develop the hotel. Wonderland’s amusement rides have not been reopened.

    Ocean City property owner Johanna Venturi holds a lawn sign denouncing Eustace Mita's proposed hotel as a "Big Mistake."
  

The next big step for the hotel is for Mita to ask City Council for the zoning change to allow development of the project. He was originally expected to do that earlier, but now says he won’t appear before Council until August, according to a report in The Press of Atlantic City.

City Councilmen Jody Levchuk, Sean Barnes and Keith Hartzell attended the Ocean City 2050 community meeting Saturday to listen to the presentation, but did not address the audience.

Afterward, Levchuk and Barnes emphasized in an interview that they are still waiting for Mita to make his hotel presentation to Council before formally deciding whether to support or oppose the project.

“I think it’s wonderful that residents have an opportunity to come up with their own ideas and points of view,” Levchuk said of Ocean City 2050’s presentation.

Barnes said he remains “open-minded” overall about Wonderland’s redevelopment, but stressed that he opposes the type of large, high-rise hotel that Mita has proposed.

“I don’t think it works. That location is tough,” Barnes said, noting that the hotel would be located close to Ocean City High School and the historic Plaza Place residential neighborhood.

Ocean City 2050 released a statement by Hartzell after the presentation that said, “This plan helps spark much-needed community debate, as this is not only about the future of the Wonderland site, but the future of the entire family-friendly Ocean City Boardwalk.”

    Members of the community pack the meeting room at the Ocean City Free Public Library for the presentation.