The shuttered Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City — once a haven for summer family fun — could soon undergo a major transformation.
Eustace Mita, owner and developer of the Wonderland property, shared that he is proposing to build a 252-room hotel at the site.
This comes after Mita proposed a $150 million beachfront hotel for a property adjacent to the pier last year. At the time, the proposal sparked opposition and went nowhere.
Mita said the new hotel would be called "ICONA in Wonderland" and incorporate the former amusement park's iconic Ferris wheel and historic carousel, saving them both.
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Mita’s company, ICONA Resorts, already has upscale hotels in Avalon, Cape May and Diamond Beach.
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“We wanted to preserve and enhance Wonderland while bringing an incredible amenity,” Mita told NBC10. “Because how can we be America’s greatest family resort when we haven’t had a new hotel in 50 years?”
Mita added that the $135 million project would help replace some of the 2,000 hotel rooms Ocean City has lost over the years.
Mita's team hopes to present the ambitious plan to the city council by March and request that the area be deemed a redevelopment zone, allowing construction on the boardwalk front.
From the time they would break ground, Mita said the hotel would take about two years to build.
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