Ocean City 2050’s proposal is for mixed use Wonderland Commons; owner Eustace Mita to make his pitch to City Council Aug. 21, but could present it earlier
Editor’s note: This update corrects date of planned presentation of Icona at Wonderland before Ocean City Council. (The presentation date was erroneously reported as Aug. 12.)
OCEAN CITY — America’s Greatest Family Resort is at a crossroads and the Wonderland Pier site holds the key to the future, a civic group argued Saturday.
Owner Eustace Mita has proposed a 252-room hotel and other amenities at the property at Sixth Street and the boardwalk and said June 29 that he intends to present the plan to City Council during its meeting Aug. 21. It is set to begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Mita said he could present the plan earlier. Council’s first meeting in August is Aug. 7.
Mita said he is planning to present his proposal during the summer, noting every developer in the county asked him why he would not wait until the fall, so that seasonal residents will have a chance to weigh in on the project.
He said he held presentations for multiple civic groups over the winter, including at the Ocean City Tabernacle and Free Public Library and before the Wayne Avenue Association.
“I gave presentations to anyone who wanted one,” he said. “I want to give the summer residents a voice to tell us to vote how they feel.”
On Saturday, Ocean City 2050 presented ‘A Better Idea’ for the former amusement park during a packed 90-minute meeting at the Ocean City Free Public Library.
The proposal offers what the group said is a fully financeable, mixed-use concept that blends amusements, public space, boutique lodging, retail, dining and digital entertainment — all designed to energize the Boardwalk while staying true to Ocean City’s identity.
“The loss of Wonderland doesn’t have to be a crisis — it can be an opportunity,” said Jim Kelly, founder and spokesman for Ocean City 2050. “This is a chance for Ocean City to take our world-class Boardwalk and position it for the next 20 years — to expand its offerings to reflect evolving demographics, while staying true to our family-first brand.”
Kelly said the resort can grow without straying from its path.
“This is the moment for Ocean City to shine — and to chart a course that draws real consensus and broad community support,” he said.
The issue
Mita has proposed a 252-room high-rise hotel and 10 to 12 retail shops at the site, something that would require multiple variances from the zoning board to accomplish.
To expedite the process, Mita would like the city to create a redevelopment zone that would allow his project to go forward in spite of current zoning that requires amusements at the site.
Mita helped rescue Wonderland Pier in early 2021 after a bank called in $8 million in loans owed on it by owner Jay Gillian, Ocean City’s mayor. He paid off the loans and bought the property and leased it back to Gillian to allow the amusement park, one of Ocean City’s iconic attractions, to continue to operate.
However, in August 2024, Gillian announced it was no longer financially viable and announced it would be closing after nearly 60 years in mid-October 2024.
Mita has made multiple public presentations about his proposal, which may retain a few rides including the giant wheel, the century-old carousel and jet boats. The project would cost between $135 million and $150 million, Mita estimated.
The public immediately began pushing back against the proposal, with groups such as Save Wonderland, Friends of OCNJ History & Culture and Ocean City 2050 expressing opposition and holding public forums of their own to get the word out.
The proposal
Friends of OCNJ History & Culture and Save Wonderland hosted a meeting Nov. 30 at Tabernacle Baptist Church and in March announced winning entries in its “Reimagine Wonderland” contest for “viable, positive and exciting alternatives for the northern end of the Ocean City boardwalk.”
Ocean City 2050 used those ideas, put together a group of experts and formulated the “Wonderland Commons” proposal.
“Walking through the iconic Wonderland gateway, visitors to Wonderland Commons see the restored carousel and discover a multi-purpose entertainment venue offering something for everyone,” the presentation said.
The project, which envisions a private-public partnership, would include four components:
— A reimagined Wonderland Pier, a smaller 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 that they believe would be a tech-forward, immersive, year-round destination with VR experiences, escape rooms, projection games and interactive storytelling for teenagers and adults.
— Public attractions such as a free children’s playground, bandshell stage for live music and performances, a rooftop deck with ocean views and a rotating selection of food trucks featuring local chefs and regional street food classics.
— Low-rise, high-end lodging with rooftop pools, comfortable seating, retail and dining on the ground floor, blending into the neighborhood and boardwalk surroundings.
“This approach spreads cost, reduces risk and ensures public voices are at the table,” said Bill Merritt of Ocean City 2050. “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 the plan was designed to leverage Mita’s strengths.
“Mr. Mita is a proven boutique hotel operator and this plan is positioned right in his wheelhouse,” he said. “It’s a plan that offers a clear path forward, can draw broad consensus and avoid years of costly litigation, and presents an opportunity to build both a great legacy and substantial profit.”
Mita said Sunday that he had seen the Wonderland Commons proposal but felt there was not enough return on investment.
“I don’t think it’s bad at all; the issue is financial feasibility,” Mita said, noting he has $20 million into the project. “If I paid less for the ground, I might be able to do something like that.”
He said because the group’s proposal includes a hotel and condominiums, it would require designation of a redevelopment or rehabilitation zone.
“No matter what happens, whether it’s a hotel or condos, condo amusement, it has to be designated redevelopment or rehabilitation,” he said.
Mita’s project gained the support of the Boardwalk Merchants Association and Downtown Merchants Association. In May, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce threw its weight behind the project, with conditions.
Representatives from Ocean City 2050 assert their plan responds directly to the chamber’s call for conversation, compromise and consensus, “offering an inclusive vision that delivers year-round activity, supports local businesses, enhances public space and preserves the open feel and small-town charm that residents and visitors have cherished for generations.”
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff